Definition: The general Vedic term for metal. The Rigvedic Aryans knew gold and copper/bronze (often referred to simply as ayas), but iron (shyama ayas or krishna ayas) was introduced in the later Vedic period.

• UPSC Relevance: The distinction that Rigvedic Aryans knew gold, silver, and copper, while Indus people did not know iron, was a key statement in the 2017 Prelims