Further Literary and Documentary Evidence for Powder Technology in Ancient and Medieval India

Abstract

New literary and documentary evidence on powder technology in ancient and medieval India is presented and discussed. It is shown that the genesis of metal powder in ancient India is related to the discovery of naturally occurring gold powder in the form of alluvial placer deposits commonly found in river beds. Philological explanation of some ancient Sanskrit words used for denoting gold confirms the antiquity of alluvial placer gold powder. The ‘Pipīlaka’ (ant) gold powder of the ‘Mahābhārata’, a typical placer gold powder obtained by washing auriferous sands dug and collected by ants in ancient India, is discussed. This was of great interest in ancient India because of its relatively high purity. It is shown that the ant gold powder reported by Herodotus and others has a different source from the Pipīlaka gold powder of the Mahābhārata: it was obtained by washing auriferous sands dug and collected by some animals, probably marmots, in the desert part of Ladakh in north western India. Literary evidence indirectly throwing light on the compaction of metal powder is also reported. The various applications of metal powder in ancient and medieval India are discussed in detail. New evidence indicates that the foremost application of prepared fine metal powder or metal dust was in various medicinal preparations dating back as far as the Vedic period. The application of metal powders in preparing explosive mixtures and as a currency material is also described. PM/0583