Archaeo-metallurgical analysis: metallurgy in the early medieval societies of Moghalmari, West Bengal, India

Archaeo-metallurgical studies on early medieval Bengal trace, the history and development of metalwork. West Bengal, as an integral part of eastern India, has an an-cient tradition of iron technology, as indicated by the metal objects obtained from various archaeological sites. All materials collected from these archaeological sites in West Bengal prove that the ancient alchemy and metallurgical science practised in the region were vast and rich. The detailed description of metallurgical processes and intricate properties of minerals and chemi-cals in the 10th-11th century alchemy-text, Rasaratna Samuchchaya, is yet another proof of the high level of knowledge on metallurgy. Metals have a close relation-ship with human civilization, and the phases attributed to different stages of cultural growth are dominated by the metals being used at a particular period. Metal ob-jects found in various early medieval sites of West Bengal provide a unique opportunity to study the development of metalworking fashion and technology. Several exca-vations and explorations have been conducted to study the societal structure and material culture of this period. The study of metal technology also provides information on cultural development and craftsmanship. The present study involves scientific analysis of metal objects (bronze) obtained from the culturally rich archaeological site of Moghalmari in West Bengal. X-ray diffracto-gram which revealed the composition of the materials. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyse the microstructure of the sample. The results provide infor-mation regarding the purity and composition of the metal.