History of Metals in Eastern India and Bangladesh

In this book, an attempt has been made to rediscover and study in an exclusive manner the wonderful metallurgical traditions of the Eastern India and Bangladesh. The book focuses on the important metal objects that have been unearthed from excavations or obtained by explorations from various places to build up a cogent account of the traditional science and technology of metals in this region. From the minting of tiny coins to the manufacturing of massive iron and brass cannons, the people of this region have been making use of various metals in diverse manner. However, little has been known about this aspect of the traditional knowledge system. In the present work, all those methods have been discussed in detail. The metal images and many other metallic objects preserved in various temples and monasteries have also been discussed in-depth in the present study. Besides, the traditional methods of casting images and other utilitarian objects have been studied very minutely to bring out the intricacies of different traditional techniques of casting. Further, the technical details of manufacturing iron beams, used for building massive structures, have been brought to light. Besides, the traditional ornaments and utensils of everyday use and their manufacturing techniques have also been discussed. Thus, the present study presents in a lucid manner numerous aspects of the traditional knowledge of metallurgy in Eastern Indian and Bangladesh. This book may provide firsthand information to the scholars and general readers on the metallurgy that the hereditary artisans of Eastern India and Bangladesh have preserved assiduously.