Iron in Ancient India c9.s3.13

c9.s3.13

We give below Heyne's account of steel-making in Mysore which was published in 1814.¹ "In order to convert the iron into steel each piece is cut into three parts, making fifty-two in the whole, each of which is put into a crucible, together with a handful of the dried branches of "tangedu" (cassia auriculata) and another of fresh leaves of "vonangady" (convolvulus laurifolia). The mouth of the crucible is then closely shut with a handful of red mud, and the whole arranged in circular order with their bottoms turned towards the centre in a hole made on the ground for the purpose. The whole is then filled up with charcoal, and large bellows are kept blowing for six hours, by which time the operation is finished. The crucibles are then removed from the furnace, ranged in rows on moistened mud, and water is thrown on them whilst yet hot. The steel is found in conical pieces at the bottom of the crucibles, the form of which it has taken. The upper or broader surface is often striated from the centre to the circumference. The iron ore used is magnetic iron sand common all over the coast and even found on the sea-beach near Madras." The steel thus obtained is heated again in closed crucibles so that the excess of carbon is burnt out. Dr. Heyne also publishes a letter from Mr. Stoddart that even up to his time, not to speak of Indian steel of the Middle Ages, " Indian steel was decidedly superior to any other description of steel."