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Aspects of Iron Technology in India

Alternative Title: Propagation: A Journal of Science Communication, Vol. III, No. I, January 2012

Author: Tripathi, Vibha

Keywords: Iron Technology
Iron- Metallurgy
Iron Age

Publisher: National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata

Description: India had been at the forefronts of iron production right up to the early decades of the twentieth century as corroborated by archaeological ethnographical and archival material. Recent C dates of the second millennium BCE that are much earlier than dates reported from Afghanistan, neighbouring Iran, and China suggest an indigenous origin of iron in India. Calibrated 'C dates of 1800-1500 BCE from Vindhya-Kaimur region of Uttar Pradesh further reinforce an independent origin of iron technology in India. Iron metallurgy appears to have evolved with trial and error; from simple wrought iron with plenty of slag inclusion to steely iron, from small bits and tiny objects to grand structures like the Delhi Iron pillar over the centuries. The wootz steel swords with beautiful watering pattern on the surface became famous all over the ancient world. The history of iron technology in India has been traced here at three stages of techno-cultural development.

Source: National Council of Science Museums

Type: Article

Received From: National Council of Science Museums


DC Field Value
dc.title.alternative Propagation: A Journal of Science Communication, Vol. III, No. I, January 2012
dc.contributor.author Tripathi, Vibha
dc.date.accessioned 2017-06-15T10:17:13Z
dc.date.available 2017-06-15T10:17:13Z
dc.description.abstract India had been at the forefronts of iron production right up to the early decades of the twentieth century as corroborated by archaeological ethnographical and archival material. Recent C dates of the second millennium BCE that are much earlier than dates reported from Afghanistan, neighbouring Iran, and China suggest an indigenous origin of iron in India. Calibrated 'C dates of 1800-1500 BCE from Vindhya-Kaimur region of Uttar Pradesh further reinforce an independent origin of iron technology in India. Iron metallurgy appears to have evolved with trial and error; from simple wrought iron with plenty of slag inclusion to steely iron, from small bits and tiny objects to grand structures like the Delhi Iron pillar over the centuries. The wootz steel swords with beautiful watering pattern on the surface became famous all over the ancient world. The history of iron technology in India has been traced here at three stages of techno-cultural development.
dc.source National Council of Science Museums
dc.format.extent 15p.
dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
dc.language.iso English
dc.publisher National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata
dc.subject Iron Technology
Iron- Metallurgy
Iron Age
dc.type Article
dc.identifier.issuenumber Number I
dc.identifier.volumenumber Volume III
dc.date.copyright 2012
dc.format.medium text
DC Field Value
dc.alternativetitle Propagation: A Journal of Science Communication, Vol. III, No. I, January 2012
dc.contributor.author Tripathi, Vibha
dc.date.accessioned 2017-06-15T10:17:13Z
dc.date.available 2017-06-15T10:17:13Z
dc.description.abstract India had been at the forefronts of iron production right up to the early decades of the twentieth century as corroborated by archaeological ethnographical and archival material. Recent C dates of the second millennium BCE that are much earlier than dates reported from Afghanistan, neighbouring Iran, and China suggest an indigenous origin of iron in India. Calibrated 'C dates of 1800-1500 BCE from Vindhya-Kaimur region of Uttar Pradesh further reinforce an independent origin of iron technology in India. Iron metallurgy appears to have evolved with trial and error; from simple wrought iron with plenty of slag inclusion to steely iron, from small bits and tiny objects to grand structures like the Delhi Iron pillar over the centuries. The wootz steel swords with beautiful watering pattern on the surface became famous all over the ancient world. The history of iron technology in India has been traced here at three stages of techno-cultural development.
dc.source National Council of Science Museums
dc.format.extent 15p.
dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
dc.language.iso English
dc.publisher National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata
dc.subject Iron Technology
Iron- Metallurgy
Iron Age
dc.type Article
dc.identifier.issuenumber Number I
dc.identifier.volumenumber Volume III
dc.date.copyright 2012
dc.format.medium text