Iron in Ancient India c7.s5.1

c7.s5.1

It has already been stated that Dr. Percy, Dr. Murray and Sir Robert Hadfield found the Delhi pillar to be made of wrought iron. The iron beams of Orissa have also been found to be made of the same species of iron. These beams and pillars must then have been constructed by forging large quantities of wrought iron. The question now is—have these beams and pillars been forged as single columns or that short pieces of wrought iron have been forged and then welded? Experts are unanimously of opinion that such an enormous mass of iron as the Delhi pillar can even in these days of steam-rollers and hammers be with very grea difficulty forged. The conclusion therefore naturally arises that these beams and pillars must have been constructed by welding short pieces of wrought iron and not as entire columns. Direct evidence on this point is forthcoming, though it still reflects the greatest credit on the old Hindu metallurgists who could have successfully carried on the welding operations so very skilfully as to be scarcely perceptible.