1869.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. Ill 



During the time of the Vedas, the Indian Aryans still were chiefly 

 a pastoral people, though to a certain extent also agricultural, as shewn 

 by the frequent mention of their herds of cattle, buffaloes, horses, 

 camels, &c. Their wars with the neighbouring tribes shew that their 

 military arrangements also must have been attended too. All these 

 occupations were connected with a certain degree of industry, and in 

 works of art they were by no means ignorant. They knew the art of 

 weaving and spinning, the use of iron, copper, brass, &c, of which they 

 possessed various instruments for agricultural and domestic purposes, as 

 well as weapons for defence in time of war. The precious metals were 

 worked to a large extent, and used as a kind of payment in exchanges, 

 or as ornaments ; the polishing and cutting of precious stones was 

 equally well known. In war they had, like the Egyptians, chariots 

 drawn by horses, of which they seem to have taken great care. Poison- 

 ous extracts of plants, and the intoxicating properties of other vege- 

 tables were then already in use, though probably more tolerated, than 

 encouraged. Their commercial connections were also extensive, they 

 must have had intercourse with the East as well as with the hilly 

 country of the North, for the pashm was known to them. In 

 support of all these and many other occupations of the people, Dr. 

 Wilson read a very long list of names of artisans mentioned in the 

 Yajur-Veda ; among these names were such as ivory-worker, dealer 

 in nectar, compounder of perfumes, confectioner, painter, actor, worker 

 in coral, brass-founder, stone-cutter, destroyer of poison, cotton-dealer, 

 &c, which undoubtedly shew a high state of civilization. 



Dr. Wilson stated that the Asiatic Society of Bengal first commenced 

 the printing of the Rig Veda, when Professor Max Miiller, under the 

 patronage of the Hon. E. India Company began his edition of the 

 Veda. The Society had also the greatest share in bringing to 

 light the Vedic literature of the Brahmans. Dr. Haug of Bombay 

 had published the text of the Aitareya Brahmana of the Big Veda, 

 which was of very great interest, and Dr. Weber's studies in the 

 Yajur Veda, were equally acknowledged. 



The Aranyaka lectures, delivered in the forest, and the Upanishads 

 have been published by the Society. The difficulty of the meanings of 

 Vedic words was here pointed out, as many explanations of the Vedic 

 terms are conjectural. 



