HT Correspondent
Varanasi, January 25
EMINENT METALLURGICAL engineer and former rector of the Banaras Hindu University Prof TR Anatharaman said that ancient India contributed a lot in the field of metallurgy.
He was delivering a lecture on ‘Metallurgical Marvels of Ancient India’ on the third-day of four-day seminar on ‘History of Indian Science and Technology’ at Swatantrata Bhawan in BHU here on Thursday.
Prof Anatharaman, also former director of Institute of Technology (IT-BHU) and presently Chancellor of Ashram Atmadeep (Gurgaon) said that recent historical studies and scientific researches have thrown considerable new light on the status of metal extraction and working in Indian sub-continent during the ancient period (1700BC to 1000 AD).
He said that the world-famous ancient Damascus Swords had its origin in India.
“The Damascus Swords were fabricated from Ultra-high Carbon Steel, known commercially as Wootz, was produced in South India particularly in the state of Andhra Pradesh around 400 BC,” he said.
“Fabrication of the Iron Pillar, seven-ton heavy and seven meter tall at Delhi known for its amazing corrosion resistance despite exposure to the Sun, wind, dust and rain in the open for more than 16 centuries is another metallurgical marvel of ancient India,” he added.
Dr K Krishnan of Archaeology and Ancient History Department at The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (Vadodara) delivered a lecture on ‘Ceramic Technology: Its Beginning and Advancements in The Indian Sub-Continent.’ He said that ceramic technology develops with the emergence of the first agricultural communities, designated by the cultural phase ‘Neolithic’, which had a wide distribution in the sub-continent in space and time.”