Kim Plofker's book

on Indian mathematics, which has been mentioned before is now reviewed by the Fields Medalist David Mumford
(from the comments in one of the posts here and in Nanopolitan:Mathematics in India . An excerpt from the excellent review:
"I see nothing wrong with understanding the older discoveries in the light of what we know now—like a contemporary metallurgist analyzing ancient swords. Needham, the great scholar of Chinese science, wrote “To write History of Science we have to take modern science as the yardstick—that is the only thing we can do—but modern science will change and the end is not yet.” Nevertheless,it is much more satisfying,when reading ancient works,to know as much as possible about the society in which these mathematicians worked,to know what mathematics was used for in their society, and how they themselves lived."
It is interesting that Mumford mentions metallurgist and steel. Recently, I came across 'wootz steel' in a post of Kuffir: telangani steel. The Wikipedia article on Wootz steel says:
"According to traditional history Wootz steel originated in India before the beginning of the common era. There is archaeological evidence of the manufacturing process in South India from that time. Wootz steel was widely exported and traded throughout ancient Europe and the Arab world, and became particularly famous in the Middle East, where it became known as Damascus steel.
Legends of Wootz steel and Damascus swords aroused the curiosity of the European scientific community from the 17th to the 19th Century. The use of high carbon alloys were not known in Europe previously and thus the research into Wootz steel played an important role in the development of modern English, French and Russian metallurgy."
There are more references in Kuffir's post and currently there is a an international research project with base in Dharmapuri,Karim Nagar District, Andhra Pradesh.