Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c27.s1.t3: References to Indian Steel: Sixth-seventeenth Centuries AD
Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c27.s1.t3
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References to Indian Steel: Sixth-seventeenth Centuries AD
v1.c27.s1.t3.1
The carburized metal (often having hypereutectoid composition and pronounced brittleness) used to be converted to steel objects and exported for the manufacture of Damascus blades.
v1.c27.s1.t3.2
Export of Indian iron (or steel or wootz) was recorded not only by the Romans but also by the Arab and Iranian scholars. Bronson (1986: 19) himself records several pre-Islamic Arab literatures of the sixth and early seventh century in this connection. The Prophet was compared to a ‘drawn muhenned (Indian) sword in Allah’s armory’. Similar references to ‘swords made in India’ were made by Jabir Ibn Hayyan (eighth century AD), Al-Kindi (ninth century), Al-Biruni (11th century AD) etc., till the knowledge of making swords of steel was widespread in Sri Lanka, Malayasia, Arab countries, Iran, etc. Al-Idrisi wrote in Al-hadid Al-Hindi (twelfth century AD):
v1.c27.s1.t3.3
The Hindus excell in the manufacture of iron, and in the preparation of those ingredients along with which it is fused to obtain that kind of soft iron which is usually called Indian steel (Hindiah). They also have workshops wherein are forged the most famous sabres in the world . . . It is impossible to find anything to surpass the edge that you get from Indian steel. (quoted by Bronson, 1986: 20)
v1.c27.s1.t3.4
The above reference is clearly related to the organised industry in twelfth century AD. India producing crucible steel of good quality. Some of the adverse comments on the brittleness of Indian steel, quoted by Bronson, can be easily explained. India used to produce good quality steel (medium hardness and ductility), low-carbon soft iron, as well as high-carbon, hard but brittle steel. The last variety gave brittle materials when fabricated, but also served as a good source of carbon (vide Table 19.1).
v1.c27.s1.t3.5
As a matter of fact, one of the processess for manufacturing good quality wootz during the medieval period was to mix at high temperature (a) low-carbon soft iron and (b) high-carbon brittle iron to produce intermediate carbon good steel. The commodity (a) used to be exported from India during and after eleventh century AD for consumption by the Arab iron-smiths who had learnt to make (b) high carbon brittle wootz, and knew that this had to be mixed with (a) of ‘magical property’ to get good steel. Thus, India was the source of (a), (b) as well as the best wootz of intermediate property.
v1.c27.s1.t3.6
Elemental Composition of Samples of Traditionally Made Indian Steels
v1.c27.s1.t3.7
| Steel | Origin | Per cent Carbon | Other Elements |
| Wootz | Sri Lanka | 1.97 | S and Mn 0.07, P 0.02 |
| Wootz | India | 1.642 | S 0.181 As 0.037 |
| Wootz | India | 1.652 | S 0.17 As 0.036 |
| Wootz | Mysore | 0.963 | S 0.02 Mn 0.097 Si 0.13 |
| Wootz | Mysore | 0.15 | S 0.01 P 0.27 Si 0.14 |
| Kheri | Jabalpur | 1.214 | S 0.002 P 0.14 Mn 0.3 Si 0.1 |
v1.c27.s1.t3.8
Note : Compiled from different sources by Bronson. The dates of the samples are not given: presumably not before AD 1200 Kheri was prepared from ‘sorted fragments of steely blooms’.
v1.c27.s1.t3.9
During thirteenth-fifteenth centuries AD, the Chinese records referred to the import of jewelled swords from ‘Banggela’ or Bengal in East India. From sixteenth century AD onwards, wootz used to be mentioned by many European travellers. Tavernier (1679) was quite explicit about the connection between Damascus blades and Golconda (Hyderabad) steel:
v1.c27.s1.t3.10
The Persians are excellent artists at Damasquing with vitriol. But the steel is brought from Golconda, there being no steel in the world but that of Golconda which can be Damasked . . . . This steel is sold in pieces as large as our one-sou loaves.
v1.c27.s1.t3.11
Tavernier also mentioned that Golconda steel should be given moderate heat treatment; drastic quenching makes it brittle. Evidently, these were high carbon cementitic materials which had to be mixed with low-carbon soft iron and/or subjected to optimal heat-treatment in order to produce the best varieties of steel. The writings of Jean Baptiste Tavernier (1679) and Jean Chardin (1711) make it abundantly clear that India used to export (a) and (b) varities as well as the third: best quality wootz of intermediate carbon content. The art of preparing the best quality wootz, which could be directly used for sword-making, was a well-guarded secret.