History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c13.s4.51

v1.c13.s4.51

Metal smiths and Blacksmiths had great skill in manufacturing various objects of non-ferrous metal and they had gained knowledge about the work hardening, recrystallization and grain growth during annealing etc., and they designed furnaces suited for the specific job. While, for annealing copper and brass and other low melting metals only cow dung cake was used as fuel in a ‘Ardha Gajaputa’ or ‘Gajaputa’ furnace (1000 cakes), charcoal was used to achieve higher temperature required for annealing of iron. The smithy furnace and the workshop was very simple in the overall out look.