Brass working of Desia Kondh | OdishaThe community members specialise in creating artefacts and jewellery distinct due to its look from brass, also identified as Dokra. They use scrap brass work and use the lost-wax technique. It starts with artisans crafting a wax model, which is coated with layers of fine clay. It is dried in the sun and fired in an oven. It causes the wax to melt and leave behind the mould of clay. Then, brass or bronze is melted in a furnace and poured into the empty, hot clay mould. Once the metal cools down, the outer clay layer is broken to reveal the finished brass figure, which is cleaned and polished.Iron objects from Kilnamandi, Thirumalapuram | Tamil NaduThe excavation in 2023-24 revealed a habitation-cum-burial complex. The graves revealed a large cache, including pottery, iron tools, glass beads, graffiti-inscribed vessels, etc. Radiocarbon dating to 1692 BCE reveals evolved activities of that age, including by clear identity markers and an organized social structure. At Thirumalapuram, too, the graves give a peek into society using iron tools and weapons.Copper hoard at Ganeshpura | Uttar PradeshThe famous anthropomorphic figure made from copper is from the area, which is part of a hoard of about 77 pieces, including spearheads, short and long swords, harpoons and anthropomorphic figures. The pieces give a peek into the copper work by residents of the site and their knowledge of metallurgy, according to experts.Gold and other metal objects from Rojdi | GujaratA gold ring found from Rojdi looks like any modern ring with its twist design, indicate experts. The site, associated with local Harappan culture in Saurashtra, reveals objects such as axe, iron slag, copper rod, fish hook, ring, stopper and trinkets, among others, which are made of different metals. It indicates that the residents had knowledge of making it locally or trading it with other parts of the civilisation over centuries.
