A metallurgical study published in the Indian Journal of History of Science has analyzed the chemical composition of Copper Hoard Culture tools found in Odisha. Using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, researchers discovered a deliberate use of nickel and arsenic alloys, which significantly increased the hardness and durability of the copper implements.
This research confirms that Late Bronze Age metallurgists in Eastern India possessed sophisticated knowledge of alloying techniques to produce high-performance functional tools. The study suggests that these metalworking traditions were part of an indigenous technological evolution independent of the Indus Valley complex.