New evidence for early crucible steel
Abstract
This paper reports the discovery and examination of an early example of crucible steel in the collections of the British Museum. This is a Sasanian sword, dated to the 6th-7th century AD. The sword is considered in relation to other new discoveries in the early history of crucible steel, suggesting, as a material, it may have been much more widely used and at an earlier date than previously supposed.
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References
Allan J W 1979, Persian Metal Technology 700 AD-1300 AD (London).
Anantharamu T R, Nagesh Rao K, Murthy S R N, Wayman M and Craddock P T forthcoming, ‘Crucible steel at Ghattihosahalli, Chitradurga, Karnataka’, Historical Metallurgy.
Anossoff P 1841, ‘On the bulat’ [in Russian], Gorny Journal, Moscow, reprinted in Journal des Mines de Russia, 1843, 192-236.
Bálint C 1978, ‘Vestiges archéologiques de l’époque tardive des Sassanides et leurs relations avec les peuples des steppes’, Acta Archaeologica Academiae Scientiarium Hungaricae 30, 173-212.
Berthelot M P E 1888, Collections des Anciens Alchemistes Grecs (Paris).
Bodenheimer J and Rothenberg B Sept 1996, ‘High-Tec in Talmudic Times’, JCT perspective (Jerusalem College of Technology), 10-11.
Bronson B 1986, ‘The making and selling of wootz, a crucible steel of India’, Archaeomaterials 1(1), 13-51.
Cahen C 1947/8, ‘Un traite d’Amurie compose pour Saladin’, Bulletin d’Etudes Orientales 27, 103-63.
Craddock P T 1995, Early Mining and Metal Production (Edinburgh).
Craddock P T 1998, ‘New light on the production of crucible steel in Asia’, Bulletin of the Metals Museum of the Japan Institute of Metals 29, 41-65.
Dodgeon M H and Lieu S N C 1991, The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars (AD 226-363). A Documentary History (London).
Figiel L S 1991, On Damascus Steel (Atlantis, Florida).
Freestone I C and Tite M S 1986, ‘Refractories from the ancient and pre-industrial world’, in W D Kingery (ed), Ceramics and Civilisation III (Westerville, Ohio), 35-63.
Friedmann Y (trans) 1992, The history of al-Tabar . Vol XII. The Battle of al-Q disiyyah and the conquest of Syria and Palestine (New York).
Ghirshman G 1963, ‘Notes Iraniennes XIII. Trois épées sassanides’, Artibus Asiae 26(3-4), 293-311.
Herrmann G, Kurbansakhatov K and Simpson, St J et al 1996, ‘The International Merv Project; preliminary report on the fourth season (1995)’, Iran 34, 1-22.
Herrmann G, Kurbansakhatov K and Simpson, St J et al 1997, ‘The International Merv Project; preliminary report on the fifth season (1996)’ Iran 35, 1-33.
Juleff G 1997, HMS News 35, 3.
Levy, R (trans) 1985, The Epic of the Kings (London).
Lukonin V G 1986, ‘Political, Social and Administrative Institutions, Taxes and Trade’, in E Yarshater (ed), The Cambridge History of Iran 3/2 (Cambridge), 681-746.
Marshall J 1951, Taxila (Cambridge).
Massalski C 1841, ‘Preparation de l’acier damasse en Perse’, Annaire du Journal des Mines de Russia, 279-308.
Montgomery J A 1913, Aramaic Incantations from Nippur (Philadelphia).
Morony M G 1984, Iraq after the Muslim Conquest (Princeton).
Newman J 1932, The Agricultural Life of the Jews in Babylonia between the years 200 CE - 500 CE (London).
Nickel H 1973, ‘About the sword of the Huns and the “Urepos” of the Steppes’, Metropolitan Museum Journal 7, 131-42.
Overlaet B J 1982, ‘Contribution to Sasanian Armament in connection with a decorated Helmet’, Iranica Antiqua 17 (In Memoriam Roman Ghirshman), 189-206, Pl I-V.
Overlaet B J 1989, ‘Swords of the Sasanians. Notes on Scabbard Tips’, in L De Meyer and E Haerinck (eds), Archaeologica Iranica et Orientalis. Miscellanea in Honorem Louis Vanden Berghe (Gent), 741-55.
Overlaet B J et al 1993, Splendeurs des Sassanides. L’empire perse entre Rome et la Chine [224-642] (Bruxelles).
Papachristou A O and Swertschkow L M 1993, ‘Eisen aus Ustruschan und Tiegelsthal aus Fergan-Becken’, Der Anschnitt 45(4), 122-31.
Simpson, St J 1996, ‘From Tekrit to the Jaghjagh: Sasanian Sites, Settlement Patterns and Material Culture in Northern Mesopotamia’, in K Bartl and S R Hauser (eds), Continuity and Change in Northern Mesopotamia from the Hellenistic to the Early Islamic period (Berlin), 87-126.
Tafazzoli A 1974, ‘A List of Trades and Crafts in the Sassanian Period’, Archaeologische Mitteilungen aus Iran (ns) 7, 191-6.
Tafazzoli, A 1993/4, ‘A List of Terms for Weapons and Armour in Western Middle Iranian’, Silk Road Art and Archaeology 3, 187-98.
Verhoeven J D and Jones L L 1987, ‘Damascus Steel II: the origin of the damask pattern’, Metallography 20, 153-80.
Verhoeven J D and Pendray A H 1992a, ‘Experiments to reproduce the pattern of Damascus steel blades’, Materials Characterization 29, 195-212.
Verhoeven J D and Pendray A H 1992b, ‘A reconstructed method for making Damascus steel blades’, Metals Materials Proceedings 4, 93-106.
Verhoeven J D and Pendray A H 1993a, ‘Studies of Damascus steel blades, I: Experiments on reconstructed blades’, Materials Characterization 30, 175-86.
Verhoeven J D and Pendray A H 1993b, ‘Studies of Damascus steel blades, II: Destruction and reformation of the pattern’, Materials Characterization 30, 187-200.
Verhoeven J D, Pendray A H and Gibson E D 1996, ‘Wootz Damascus Steel Blades’, Materials Characterization 37, 9-22.
Verhoeven J D and Peterson D T 1993, ‘What is a Damascus steel?’, Material Characterization 29, 335-41.
Whitby M and M 1997, The History of the Theophylact Simocatta (Oxford).
Whitehouse D and Williamson A 1973, ‘Sasanian Maritime Trade’, Iran 11, 29-49.
Wulff H E 1966, The Traditional Crafts of Persia (Boston).
Anantharamu T R, Nagesh Rao K, Murthy S R N, Wayman M and Craddock P T forthcoming, ‘Crucible steel at Ghattihosahalli, Chitradurga, Karnataka’, Historical Metallurgy.
Anossoff P 1841, ‘On the bulat’ [in Russian], Gorny Journal, Moscow, reprinted in Journal des Mines de Russia, 1843, 192-236.
Bálint C 1978, ‘Vestiges archéologiques de l’époque tardive des Sassanides et leurs relations avec les peuples des steppes’, Acta Archaeologica Academiae Scientiarium Hungaricae 30, 173-212.
Berthelot M P E 1888, Collections des Anciens Alchemistes Grecs (Paris).
Bodenheimer J and Rothenberg B Sept 1996, ‘High-Tec in Talmudic Times’, JCT perspective (Jerusalem College of Technology), 10-11.
Bronson B 1986, ‘The making and selling of wootz, a crucible steel of India’, Archaeomaterials 1(1), 13-51.
Cahen C 1947/8, ‘Un traite d’Amurie compose pour Saladin’, Bulletin d’Etudes Orientales 27, 103-63.
Craddock P T 1995, Early Mining and Metal Production (Edinburgh).
Craddock P T 1998, ‘New light on the production of crucible steel in Asia’, Bulletin of the Metals Museum of the Japan Institute of Metals 29, 41-65.
Dodgeon M H and Lieu S N C 1991, The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars (AD 226-363). A Documentary History (London).
Figiel L S 1991, On Damascus Steel (Atlantis, Florida).
Freestone I C and Tite M S 1986, ‘Refractories from the ancient and pre-industrial world’, in W D Kingery (ed), Ceramics and Civilisation III (Westerville, Ohio), 35-63.
Friedmann Y (trans) 1992, The history of al-Tabar . Vol XII. The Battle of al-Q disiyyah and the conquest of Syria and Palestine (New York).
Ghirshman G 1963, ‘Notes Iraniennes XIII. Trois épées sassanides’, Artibus Asiae 26(3-4), 293-311.
Herrmann G, Kurbansakhatov K and Simpson, St J et al 1996, ‘The International Merv Project; preliminary report on the fourth season (1995)’, Iran 34, 1-22.
Herrmann G, Kurbansakhatov K and Simpson, St J et al 1997, ‘The International Merv Project; preliminary report on the fifth season (1996)’ Iran 35, 1-33.
Juleff G 1997, HMS News 35, 3.
Levy, R (trans) 1985, The Epic of the Kings (London).
Lukonin V G 1986, ‘Political, Social and Administrative Institutions, Taxes and Trade’, in E Yarshater (ed), The Cambridge History of Iran 3/2 (Cambridge), 681-746.
Marshall J 1951, Taxila (Cambridge).
Massalski C 1841, ‘Preparation de l’acier damasse en Perse’, Annaire du Journal des Mines de Russia, 279-308.
Montgomery J A 1913, Aramaic Incantations from Nippur (Philadelphia).
Morony M G 1984, Iraq after the Muslim Conquest (Princeton).
Newman J 1932, The Agricultural Life of the Jews in Babylonia between the years 200 CE - 500 CE (London).
Nickel H 1973, ‘About the sword of the Huns and the “Urepos” of the Steppes’, Metropolitan Museum Journal 7, 131-42.
Overlaet B J 1982, ‘Contribution to Sasanian Armament in connection with a decorated Helmet’, Iranica Antiqua 17 (In Memoriam Roman Ghirshman), 189-206, Pl I-V.
Overlaet B J 1989, ‘Swords of the Sasanians. Notes on Scabbard Tips’, in L De Meyer and E Haerinck (eds), Archaeologica Iranica et Orientalis. Miscellanea in Honorem Louis Vanden Berghe (Gent), 741-55.
Overlaet B J et al 1993, Splendeurs des Sassanides. L’empire perse entre Rome et la Chine [224-642] (Bruxelles).
Papachristou A O and Swertschkow L M 1993, ‘Eisen aus Ustruschan und Tiegelsthal aus Fergan-Becken’, Der Anschnitt 45(4), 122-31.
Simpson, St J 1996, ‘From Tekrit to the Jaghjagh: Sasanian Sites, Settlement Patterns and Material Culture in Northern Mesopotamia’, in K Bartl and S R Hauser (eds), Continuity and Change in Northern Mesopotamia from the Hellenistic to the Early Islamic period (Berlin), 87-126.
Tafazzoli A 1974, ‘A List of Trades and Crafts in the Sassanian Period’, Archaeologische Mitteilungen aus Iran (ns) 7, 191-6.
Tafazzoli, A 1993/4, ‘A List of Terms for Weapons and Armour in Western Middle Iranian’, Silk Road Art and Archaeology 3, 187-98.
Verhoeven J D and Jones L L 1987, ‘Damascus Steel II: the origin of the damask pattern’, Metallography 20, 153-80.
Verhoeven J D and Pendray A H 1992a, ‘Experiments to reproduce the pattern of Damascus steel blades’, Materials Characterization 29, 195-212.
Verhoeven J D and Pendray A H 1992b, ‘A reconstructed method for making Damascus steel blades’, Metals Materials Proceedings 4, 93-106.
Verhoeven J D and Pendray A H 1993a, ‘Studies of Damascus steel blades, I: Experiments on reconstructed blades’, Materials Characterization 30, 175-86.
Verhoeven J D and Pendray A H 1993b, ‘Studies of Damascus steel blades, II: Destruction and reformation of the pattern’, Materials Characterization 30, 187-200.
Verhoeven J D, Pendray A H and Gibson E D 1996, ‘Wootz Damascus Steel Blades’, Materials Characterization 37, 9-22.
Verhoeven J D and Peterson D T 1993, ‘What is a Damascus steel?’, Material Characterization 29, 335-41.
Whitby M and M 1997, The History of the Theophylact Simocatta (Oxford).
Whitehouse D and Williamson A 1973, ‘Sasanian Maritime Trade’, Iran 11, 29-49.
Wulff H E 1966, The Traditional Crafts of Persia (Boston).
How to Cite
New evidence for early crucible steel. (2022). Historical Metallurgy, 32(1), 7-14. https://hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/314
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How to Cite
New evidence for early crucible steel. (2022). Historical Metallurgy, 32(1), 7-14. https://hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/314