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The Iron Pillar

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posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 07:33 AM
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An iron pillar dating over 1600 years old, weighing over 6 tonnes, more than 7 metres tall is constructed in a single forge and is erected on top of the Vishnupada hill (central India) engraved with sanskrit inscriptions.




What’s so wonderful about it? Well, one should ask ‘what’s so mysterious about it?’

More than 1600 years back, to build an iron pillar of this huge size in a single forge itself is an indication of the advanced metallurgy of the ancient Indians. Even in today’s modern technological world it is a great achievement to forge such a huge pillar in a single forge!!!

But there’s more, this pillar which contains more than 98% of pure iron, even after 1600 years has not caught rust!!! It is 100% corrosion resistant inspite of the fact that it is 98% iron!! This indicates one of the great technological achievements of the ancient Indians. Even today it is next to impossible to construct such a huge corrossion resistant iron pillar. Corrosion resistant technologists from all over the world have studied this pillar.

Modern day technology uses limestone in the blast furnaces which carries away most of the phosphrous content in the ore in the form of slag. Ancient Indians instead by solid state reduction (used charcoal as a reducing agent) to extract pure iron with low carbon content from the ore.



hitxp.wordpress.com... t-indian-metallurgy/


edit on 7-8-2012 by toocoolnc because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 07:34 AM
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This was posted back in 2008 but I definitely think it’s a refresh. I myself had never heard of this until yesterday when I stumbled across it. What a magnificent feat of engineering especially considering that it is over 1600 years old.


A link to a pdf that goes into great detail about the pillar:
www.hinduwisdom.info...


"Experts at the Indian Institute of Technology have resolved the mystery behind the 1,600-year-old iron pillar in Delhi, which has never corroded despite the capital's harsh weather."


Mystery of Delhi's Iron Pillar unraveled

Metallurgists at Kanpur IIT have discovered that a thin layer of "misawite", a compound of iron, oxygen and hydrogen, has protected the cast iron pillar from rust.

The protective film took form within three years after erection of the pillar and has been growing ever so slowly since then. After 1,600 years, the film has grown just one-twentieth of a millimeter thick, according to R. Balasubramaniam of the IIT.

www.world-mysteries.com...



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 07:44 AM
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I remember reading about it some years ago but those are good pictures. The inscription is interesting. Seems to be read from right to left if the picture wasn´t mirrored.



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 07:46 AM
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cool post!
never knew about this before. i will have to learn more!
what makes me mad is that most of the people in the west think that the west is so techno. superior to these backward people.
that attitude is the farthest from the truth,and if we can manage to get our head outta our arse by realizing we're not the most advanced civilization,maybe we could all work together as one race,and make OUR planet a better place!

just look at the latest shooting in the Sikh temple. the stupid,hate mongering shooter couldn't tell a Sikh temple from a Muslim mosque!!!
well,getting back to my 'the west is the best' attitude, it probably didn't matter to that maniac anyway.



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 07:49 AM
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You have to ask yourself how the ancient people could produce such pure iron with just the right amount of carbon..
If its true that experts from all over the world were stunned then you know they must have been very advanced in metallurgy back then at least.
edit on 7-8-2012 by verschickter because: spelling



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 07:52 AM
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The secret ingredient - 'phosphorous'



In a report published in the journal Current Science Balasubramanian says, the protective film was formed catalytically by the presence of high amounts of phosphorous in the iron—as much as one per cent against less than 0.05 per cent in today's iron.

The high phosphorous content is a result of the unique iron-making process practiced by ancient Indians, who reduced iron ore into steel in one step by mixing it with charcoal.

Modern blast furnaces, on the other hand, use limestone in place of charcoal yielding molten slag and pig iron that is later converted into steel. In the modern process most phosphorous is carried away by the slag.

The pillar—over seven metres high and weighing more than six tonnes—was erected by Kumara Gupta of Gupta dynasty that ruled northern India in AD 320-540.

www.world-mysteries.com...



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 08:02 AM
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reply to post by toocoolnc
 


The pdf is awesome full of information

Its stunning how the oxidation of the -FEOOH slows down further oxidation and over time converts to magnetic oxidation which protects even better.



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 08:03 AM
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Interesting find. Id heard of this years ago, strangely enough in a Louis Lamour novel. Didnt have a clue as to the true history. Just goes to prove that we have yet to learn and achieve all the technologies of the ancients.


 
Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com
 



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 09:02 AM
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I have to wonder if this kind of technology, could be applied in some related way to steel.
The process could revolutionise the big steel constructs that face weathering and corrosion from polution etc.
bridges, towers, etc woud be better preserved this way than painting them every so often, for decades....
Some way to make this happen would make the inventor richer than Gates.



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 10:15 AM
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The High slag content in the micro structure of iron, The high % of phosphorus in the iron, the alternatively wet and hot climate of Delhi caused the formation of a Thin layer of Rust itself which has protected the rest of the Iron pillar from getting corroded.

There is no highly advanced ancient metallurgy involved..pure fluke of physics/chemistry.


A more interesting metallurgical mystery is The Damascus Steel which originated from India as Wootz Steel which is rumoured to have carbon nano-tubes in it. Now isnt that a mystery??

edit on 7/8/12 by coredrill because: having seen that others have included the same what i have posted, i come, i edit, i sigh!



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 10:37 AM
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reply to post by toocoolnc
 


This is the part I am interested in. Great OP by the way. What does it say---->

‘He, on whose arm fame was inscribed by the sword, when, in battle in the Vanga countries, he kneaded (and turned) back with (his) breast the enemies who, uniting together, came against (him);-he, by whom, having crossed in warfare the seven mouths of the (river) Sindhu, the Vâhlikas were conquered;-he, by the breezes of whose prowess the southern ocean is even still perfumed;-

(Line 3.)-He, the remnant of the great zeal of whose energy, which utterly destroyed (his) enemies, like (the remnant of the great glowing heat) of a burned-out fire in a great forest, even now leaves not the earth; though he, the king, as if wearied, has quitted this earth, and has gone to the other world, moving in (bodily) form to the land (of paradise) won by (the merit of his) actions, (but) remaining on (this) earth by (the memory of his) fame;-

(L. 5.)-By him, the king,-who attained sole supreme sovereignty in the world, acquired by his own arm and (enjoyed) for a very long time; (and) who, having the name of Chandra, carried a beauty of countenance like (the beauty of) the full-moon,-having in faith fixed his mind upon (the god) Vishnu, this lofty standard of the divine Vishnu was set up on the hill (called) Vishnupada.’

This is interesting to me when I consider Babel being cut by languages and the nations spreading out across the world by continent. A story like this reflects God, working our way back to heaven and naming the same God by a different language. The conquest of an enemy, defeating evil and then the resulting peace.

The Vanga Bird is a bird that sings the story of peace. Maybe he defeated the wrong enemy.

How about this Vanga? LINK

This world is all connected.




edit on 7-8-2012 by EnochWasRight because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 10:56 AM
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reply to post by EnochWasRight
 


There is no link to that vanga.
Vanga in the inscription related toVanga Desha
Vanga desha comprises of modern day State of West Bengal in India, the country Bangladesh and parts of the North eastern indian states and the Indian state of Odisha.

Desha means Country.



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 11:18 AM
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Originally posted by coredrill
A more interesting metallurgical mystery is The Damascus Steel which originated from India as Wootz Steel which is rumoured to have carbon nano-tubes in it. Now isnt that a mystery??


Much debated rumours it seems...but that aside, it would explain why it was so highly prized. Strength combined with flexibility are what CNT provide...however, why no further investigation...surely there are some examples of this steel in museums that could be examined?

What I am totally ignorant of though...do the CNT exist in the raw material, or is it something that occurs as a result of the manufacturing process?

The text on the pillar, quoted in Enoch's post, could be a description of the process, given in esoteric terms...much in the same way as the process for making a samurai sword was couched in phrases...given that at the time that the manufacturing process was developed, there was no means to measure accuracy other than by saying it should be the colour of the sunset, etc.

Very interesting thread anyway...



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 11:42 AM
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Originally posted by coredrill
reply to post by EnochWasRight
 


There is no link to that vanga.
Vanga in the inscription related toVanga Desha
Vanga desha comprises of modern day State of West Bengal in India, the country Bangladesh and parts of the North eastern indian states and the Indian state of Odisha.

Desha means Country.


It was humor. I was illustrating absurdity with absurdity on a website that tends to practice this ritual. Sorry if it was missed. I wasn't obvious enough with it.

I did love the reading the quote and the back-story of the pillar.

Maybe the old lady is a reincarnation of "He on whose arm fame was inscribed by the sword?" What do you think?






edit on 7-8-2012 by EnochWasRight because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 12:14 PM
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reply to post by Biliverdin
 


The text is not in any manner connected with the process .
It is proclamation ofr the majesty of King Chandra gupta Vikramaditya who is dedicating the temple to Lord Vishnu and the adoration to Lord Vishnu of the Hindu Pantheon. Lord Vishnu is one of the Hindu Trinity the other two being Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma.

Delhi was never the original location of the Iron Pillar. It was modern day Udayagiri in the State of Madhya Pradesh in India, which was known as Vishnupada giri in ancient times.

Could you tell me how does the praise to Lord Vishnu correlate with a metallurgical process?





edit on 7/8/12 by coredrill because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 12:19 PM
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Originally posted by EnochWasRight

Originally posted by coredrill
reply to post by EnochWasRight
 


There is no link to that vanga.
Vanga in the inscription related toVanga Desha
Vanga desha comprises of modern day State of West Bengal in India, the country Bangladesh and parts of the North eastern indian states and the Indian state of Odisha.

Desha means Country.


It was humor. I was illustrating absurdity with absurdity on a website that tends to practice this ritual. Sorry if it was missed. I wasn't obvious enough with it.

I did love the reading the quote and the back-story of the pillar.

Maybe the old lady is a reincarnation of "He on whose arm fame was inscribed by the sword?" What do you think?






edit on 7-8-2012 by EnochWasRight because: (no reason given)


The He in the inscription which you have quoted is Chandragupta Vikramaditya of the Gupta dynasty.



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 12:26 PM
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Originally posted by coredrill

Originally posted by EnochWasRight

Originally posted by coredrill
reply to post by EnochWasRight
 


There is no link to that vanga.
Vanga in the inscription related toVanga Desha
Vanga desha comprises of modern day State of West Bengal in India, the country Bangladesh and parts of the North eastern indian states and the Indian state of Odisha.

Desha means Country.


It was humor. I was illustrating absurdity with absurdity on a website that tends to practice this ritual. Sorry if it was missed. I wasn't obvious enough with it.

I did love the reading the quote and the back-story of the pillar.

Maybe the old lady is a reincarnation of "He on whose arm fame was inscribed by the sword?" What do you think?






edit on 7-8-2012 by EnochWasRight because: (no reason given)


The He in the inscription which you have quoted is Chandragupta Vikramaditya of the Gupta dynasty.



Even Chupacabra Vadkamoonpie Hupti's name is funny.


edit on 7-8-2012 by EnochWasRight because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 12:33 PM
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I don't know, I took a long look at some hi-res pictures and it seems like there is a fair amount of rust on it to me. Also there are a lot of other imperfections - specifically it's not very straight. Not to mention "forge wielding" technique used to create this thing doesn't seem too technologically advanced...

"Forge welding is a solid-state welding process that joins two pieces of metal by heating them to a high temperature and then hammering them together"

I have no idea what I'm talking about



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 12:37 PM
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i have seen that pillar(i am an Indian)

There are several aspects to the original site of the pillar at Udayagiri. Vishnupadagiri is located on the Tropic of Cancer and, therefore, was a centre of astronomical studies during the Gupta period. The iron pillar served as a sundial when it was originally at Vishnupadagiri. The early-morning shadow of the iron pillar fell in the direction of the foot of Anantasayin Vishnu (in one of the panels at Udayagiri) only around the summer solstice (June 21). The Udayagiri site in general, and the iron pillar location in particular, are evidence for the astronomical knowledge that existed in Gupta India.(wikipedia)

Also...do you know about the idol in the somnath templet(Gujarat,India) which hanged in mid-air with no support???



posted on Aug, 7 2012 @ 01:04 PM
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Originally posted by coredrill
reply to post by Biliverdin
 


The text is not in any manner connected with the process .
It is proclamation ofr the majesty of King Chandra gupta Vikramaditya who is dedicating the temple to Lord Vishnu and the adoration to Lord Vishnu of the Hindu Pantheon. Lord Vishnu is one of the Hindu Trinity the other two being Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma.

Delhi was never the original location of the Iron Pillar. It was modern day Udayagiri in the State of Madhya Pradesh in India, which was known as Vishnupada giri in ancient times.

Could you tell me how does the praise to Lord Vishnu correlate with a metallurgical process?


Clearly nothing. Caught out skimming
I had assumed that what Enoch had posted was a translation of the text on the pillar.




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