![]() ![]() ![]() Conveniently, modern mass-production of steel had just begun with the invention and patent of the ‘Bessemer process’ in England in 1856. Well into the Mughal times, there was industrial size production and export of wootz ingots to Persia from the Coromandel coast.Īfter the failed Indian Revolt of 1857, the British went around and deliberately destroyed all Indian steel making industries across south India, and wootz technology was lost to the world. Many say the word comes from the Kannada and Telugu words for steel – ‘ukku’ – since the steel industry was highly developed down south. In later centuries, Indian steel became known as ‘wootz steel’. They also have workshops to forge the most famous sabres in the world….it is impossible to find anything to surpass the edge that you get from Indian steel…” Damascus bladesmith (Source: Wikimedia Commons) Woot Woot! In the middle ages, the famous Arab scientist al-Idrisi, who lived in Sicily, wrote that “The Hindus excel in the manufacture of iron, and in the preparation of those ingredients along with which it is fused to obtain Indian Steel called Hindiah. (Fun fact: Damascus steel was so legendary, it became the inspiration for ‘Valyrian steel’ in the television show, Game of Thrones.) Watered pattern on sword blade (Source: Wikimedia Commons) This steel was extremely tough, shatter-resistant and able to be honed to the sharpest edge. When they broke open the cooled clay containers, pure steel ingots lay waiting for them, with even amounts of carbon throughout the steel. They did this by sealing iron and charcoal into clay containers called crucibles, and roasting these at extremely high temperatures in furnaces. Indians also produced the first true steel, fusing iron with a high amount of carbon (1 to 1.6 per cent). So the rain and wind, which would normally cause corrosion, actually helps protect the pillar! Inventors of steel After many tests over many years, they realised that the pillar’s iron has an unusually high level of phosphorous, which reacts with moisture and creates a thin protective coating of hydrogen phosphate hydrate on the pillar’s surface to prevent rusting. Scientists spent decades puzzling over how this was possible. From the Gupta era in the 4th century AD, this iron pillar has not rusted in over 1,600 years. The iron pillar near the Qutb Minar in Delhi is a perfect example of the genius of ancient Indians. It was gradually discovered that adding a small amount of carbon could make the iron harder, but it was a touch and miss process and iron was still prone to rusting and shattering.Īs early as 400 BC, Indians learned how to manipulate iron in ways that we don’t fully know even today! Iron Pillar of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya (Source: BibinVarghese/wikimedia commons) The Iron Pillar that refuses to rust ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |