Archaeometallurgy in India

by Vibha Tripathi

Ancient metals and their manufacturing make a fascinating, as well as challenging subject of academic investigation. The overgrowing application of scientific knowledge and sophisticated analytical techniques in archaeological studies have opened newer perspectives on the understanding of ancient metals and metallurgy. The resultant inter-disciplinary subject of Archaeo-metallurgy adds new dimensions to archaeological research. It bridges the gap of Arts and Sciences. It is only through such an approach that one can make an authentic reconstruction of Man's techno-cultural achievements through the ages. In India, the potentials and significance of such a line of inquiry has yet to be fully recognized.

The Department of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology, Banaras Hindu University, hosted a Seminar in October, 1991 to take stock of the existing knowledge of the subject and to initiate a meaningful dialogue among scholars of allied disciplines towards defining and identifying precise interdisciplinary nature of the subject. Archaeologists, Historians, Indologists and Metallurgists interacted on a wide range of themes: metals in archaeological contexts, ethno-archaeological data, and socio-economic implications of the metals. This volume Comprises of the papers presented in the Seminar. It is sincerely hoped that this venture will expand the boundaries, infuse a scientific temper and set new trend into archaeological studies.

About the Author:

Vibha Tripathi is Reader in the Department of Ancient History Culture and Archaeology, Banaras Hindu University, where she is teaching and guiding research for over two decades. Her earlier books, Painted Grey Ware An Iron Age Culture of Northern India (1976) and The Indus Terracottas (co-author) (1994) are significant contributions to Indian Archaeology. She has published over thirty research papers in national and international journals and conference/proceedings. Her present research interest is centered around metals and metallurgy in ancient India. She organized the first National Seminar on Indian Archaeo-metallurgy in 1991 at Banaras Hindu University. The present volume is an outcome of the deliberations in that seminar. She was the theme organizer for Archaeological Congress 3 held at New Delhi in December, 1993, and was the convener of the second National Seminar on Indian Archaeometallurgy, held alongwith the Congress.