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Gold powder: Its preparation & application as described in ancient Sanskrit texts

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Abstract

In this article the origin and development of the technology of gold powder in ancient India is described on the basis of the literary evidence cited in various Sanskrit texts. The applications of gold powder as described in these texts are also discussed.

Basically two techniques — mechanical comminution and chemical methods — were used in Indian antiquity for making gold powder. However, there were many variants of these techniques, which are described in detail below. It has been shown that two important applications of gold powder in ancient India were in medicine and for making colours for painting.

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  1. Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, 208016, Kanpur, India

    R. K. Dube

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  1. R. K. Dube
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Dube, R.K. Gold powder: Its preparation & application as described in ancient Sanskrit texts. Gold Bull 24, 95–102 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03214717

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