Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c27.s2.t3.2

v1.c27.s2.t3.2

Judging from weldlines on its surface, the Delhi iron pillar seems to have been built up from a great many lumps, weighing 20-30 kg which have been successively forge-welded together, under firing with a charcoal blast. (Turner, 1893: Hadfield, 1912) The archaeological excavations at Ujjain have revealed the existence of typical forge furnaces although the precise technique of forge-welding in ancient India remains a mystery.