Metal pole in India. Delhi Iron Column: History, Column Composition, Height and Amazing Corrosion Resistance

Just half an hour from the center of the Indian capital, on one of the squares, there is an iron column more than one and a half thousand years old.

Since ancient times, crowds of pilgrims flocked to her - it was believed that whoever leaned his back against the column and wrapped his arms around her would be happy.

The column was erected in 415 in honor of King Chandragupta II, who died in 413. Initially, it was located in the east of the country, was crowned with the image of the sacred bird Garuda and stood in front of the temple. In 1050, King Anang Pola brought her to Delhi.

The column weighs about 6.5 tons, its height is 7.3 m, the diameter at the base is 41.6 cm, at the top it is 29.5 cm. It is made of almost pure iron (99.720% iron) and contains only minor impurities, which explains its corrosion resistance.

Guides often tell legends about its exclusivity. According to one of them, stainless steel was used to create this monument. However, an analysis made by the Indian scientist Chedari shows that the Delhi column does not contain alloying elements leading to increased corrosion resistance.

Chemical composition of the column material:

Carbon - 0.08

Silicon - 0.046

Sulfur - 0.006

Phosphorus - 0.114

Nitrogen - 0.032

Iron - 99,722

The top of the iron pillar in Delhi,

Scientists from the Kanpur Institute of Technology discovered that the column contains an unexpected amount of phosphorus, which, by reacting with iron, water and oxygen, created a kind of protective anti-corrosion surface layer. Scientists believe that the ancient blacksmiths did not have unique knowledge of the chemistry of alloys, but selected the composition of iron empirically.

Ancient India was generally famous for the art of its metallurgists. In many ancient temples, there are iron beams up to 6 m long. Historians report that those used in the construction Egyptian pyramids iron tools for stone processing were made in South India, which had a brisk trade with Rome, Egypt and Greece. India was so famous in the East for its steel products that the Persians, when talking about something superfluous and unnecessary, had a saying: "To bring steel to India."

How was this column made?

Some even say that modern metallurgists have not yet learned how to do anything like this. This is wrong. Nowadays, they have learned to make both stainless steel and iron of such purity as the ancient metallurgists never dreamed of. And yet the art of the ancient masters is admirable.

There is still no consensus on the method of manufacturing the famous column. Some authors claim that it was cast, which is the least likely. Others believe that when smelting "by eye", as happened in antiquity, very large deviations in the quality of the metal are possible. Here, they say, one of these exceptions could be a column. Still others suggest that the column was made by welding individual 36 kg blocks and then forging them.

According to one author, in order to obtain pure iron, ancient metallurgists ground a sponge of wrought iron into powder and sieved it. And then the resulting pure iron powder was heated to a red heat, and under the blows of a hammer, its particles stuck together into one whole - now this is called the powder metallurgy method. From such pieces of iron, perhaps, they blinded a huge column in Delhi.

An inscription dedicated to Vishnu and King Chandragupta II remained on the column.

The Sanskrit inscription indicates that the column was made during the reign of Chandragupta II (376-415), emperor of the Gupta dynasty, who ruled for the most part northern India from Bihar.

The iron column in Delhi gained popularity among Europeans after the work of the English orientalist and Indologist Alexander Cunningham. They brought approx. 150 years ago, the information is currently being criticized by researchers. So, Cunningham claimed that the height of the column was at least 60 feet (18 m), and the weight was 17 tons. In addition, from its description it follows that the column is solid, not welded. These conjectures were picked up by historians, and even later scientific research could no longer shake their faith in the miraculous properties of the “eternal” column.

A similar column large sizes, made in the III century, rises in Indian city Dhar.

Inquisitive scientists conducted a series of studies of iron columns in Dhar and Delhi. So, for example, British scientists took small pieces of metal from columns as samples for physical and chemical analysis in London. Upon arrival in London, it turned out that - the samples were covered with rust. Soon, the Swedish material scientist I. Vranglen and his colleagues discovered a zone of strong corrosion on the column. It turned out that in the area of embedding the column in the foundation, it rusted to a depth of 16 millimeters along the entire diameter.

Another mysterious monument of antiquity is the Buddha statue from Sultanganj, cast from pure copper and weighing more than a ton. According to scientists, this statue is at least 1500 years old and there is still no scientific explanation of how ancient Indian blacksmiths were able to make such a work of art.

Now the statue of the copper Buddha is in the Birmingham Museum and art gallery, and a plaque describing it reads: "The Buddha statue, which is about 1,500 years old, has survived virtually intact, making it a unique landmark in the world."

When visiting the Qutub Minar, I was most interested in the iron pillar, which has its own significant remarkableness among others historical monuments Delhi.

The column is located near the Qutub Minar itself, literally a couple of tens of meters near the tower.

According to the Hindu belief, this column can cure many diseases and give happiness to a person if you wrap your back around the pillar. In view of more wishing the post was surrounded by a fence and put to look after her guard.

The inscription on the column says that it was brought and placed here about 1600 years ago. During the period of its existence, the column has practically not undergone corrosion, with the exception of some plaque at the base of the column. The column consists of 99.7% iron with an insignificant content of phosphorus, carbon and sulfur impurities.

The column rises 7 meters above the ground, has a diameter of 0.485 m and a mass of 6 tons.

The origin of the column carries innuendo and ambiguity. How could an Indian civilization with a low technological level of development pay solid post with almost 100% pure iron content.

Some argue that the column was smelted by the pre-civilization of the Aryans (i.e., the late Atlanteans in conjunction with the early Aryans), from an iron meteorite that fell to the west of Bombay more than 12 thousand years ago. Some argue that there could not have been without aliens.

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Scientists have conducted a number of studies of the iron column in Delhi. For example, British specialists took small pieces of metal as samples for physical and chemical analysis in London. Upon arrival in London, it turned out that the samples were covered with rust. Soon, the Swedish materials scientist I. Wranglen and his colleagues discovered a zone of severe corrosion on the lower part of the column. It turned out that in the area of the foundation it rusted to a depth of 16 millimeters along the entire diameter. faith in pure stainless iron was undermined, but there were other questions. Why, for example, does the column not rust higher from the foundation, and also how to explain its healing power?

Many years of efforts by Russian researchers revealed a number of previously unknown features of this building. For example, it turned out that the foundation of the column is made in the form of a two-sided pyramid (rhombus), it forms a vertical energy flow invisible to the ordinary eye, resembling a candle flame about 8 meters high and more than 2 meters in diameter.

Similar energy fields are observed above the tops of the pyramids and other places of worship, For example Orthodox churches, made in the form of pyramids, raised above the ground. Above their central bulbous dome, the iron crosses are also immune to corrosion if properly placed in the energy field.

The conducted studies show that inside the column at a height of about 3 meters from the ground there is additional source energy field radiation, made in the form of a small compressed rectangular package of thin sheets of an unknown radioactive metal. The radiation source is inserted into the column through a drilled and then plugged hole. Perhaps there is a message for posterity. New studies of the column may reveal additional interesting findings.

It can be assumed that the energy field shell of the iron column is a reliable protection against corrosion. The reason for the appearance of rust on the column in the area of embedding it in the foundation can be a water film from rain and dew formed on the horizontal surface of the foundation, which goes beyond the energy case.

As for the miracle of healing the sick, the main role here is played by the vertical flow of the energy field, which has a beneficial effect on the human energy, normalizes the work of the whole organism. A person receives a powerful additional energy supply, being completely in the arms of the energy field of the column. Recall that modern medicine affects magnetic, electric and other energy fields only on certain parts of the human body, without restoring the deformed energy shell of a person as a whole.

The version of the creation of the iron column is also curious. More than 12 thousand years ago, a large iron meteorite fell to the west of Bombay, the remains of which are still there on the shelf of the sea. During the heyday of the Atlantean and Indian civilizations, local craftsmen created three identical iron columns by crystallizing meteorite fragments. By the same method in underground caves other ritual items were also made. There, archaeologists in our time find many finished and unfinished products made of crystallized iron.

The special shape and design of the foundation containing energy flow stimulators (crystals, amber, rare earth and radioactive elements), as well as the design of the iron column itself, allowed the ancient masters to create an energy field flow around the column, which can be conditionally called the “Space Communication Channel” (energy antenna).

The Ininsky rock garden is located in the Barguzinskaya valley. Huge stones as if someone deliberately scattered or placed on purpose. And in places where megaliths are placed, something mysterious always happens.

One of the attractions of Buryatia is the Ininsky rock garden in the Barguzin valley. It makes an amazing impression - huge stones scattered in disorder on a completely flat surface. As if someone deliberately either scattered them, or placed them on purpose. And in places where megaliths are placed, something mysterious always happens.

Power of nature

In general, the "rock garden" is Japanese name an artificial landscape in which stones, placed according to strict rules, play a key role. "Karesansui" (dry landscape) has been cultivated in Japan since the 14th century, and it appeared for a reason. It was believed that gods lived in places with a large accumulation of stones, as a result of which the stones themselves began to be given divine significance. Of course, now the Japanese use rock gardens as a place for meditation, where it is convenient to indulge in philosophical reflections.

And philosophy is here. Chaotic, at first glance, the arrangement of stones, in fact, is strictly subject to certain laws. First, the asymmetry and size difference of the stones must be respected. There are certain points of observation in the garden - depending on the time when you are going to contemplate the structure of your microcosm. And the main trick is that from any point of observation there should always be one stone that ... is not visible.

The most famous rock garden in Japan is located in Kyoto - ancient capital samurai country, in the Ryoanji temple. This is the home of Buddhist monks. And here in Buryatia, a "rock garden" appeared without the efforts of man - its author is Nature itself.

In the southwestern part of the Barguzinskaya Valley, 15 kilometers from the village of Suvo, where the Ina River emerges from the Ikat Range, this place is located with an area of more than 10 square kilometers. Significantly more than any Japanese garden stones - in the same proportion as the Japanese bonsai is smaller than the Buryat cedar. Here, large blocks of stone, reaching 4-5 meters in diameter, protrude from the flat ground, and these boulders go up to 10 meters deep!

The removal of these megaliths from mountain range reaches 5 kilometers or more. What kind of force could scatter these huge stones at such distances? The fact that this was not done by a person became clear from recent history: a 3-kilometer canal was dug here for irrigation purposes. And in the channel channel here and there lie huge boulders, going to a depth of up to 10 meters. They fought, of course, but to no avail. As a result, all work on the channel was stopped.

Scientists put forward different versions of the origin of the Ininsky rock garden. Many consider these blocks to be moraine boulders, that is, glacial deposits. Scientists call the age different (E. I. Muravsky believes that they are 40-50 thousand years old, and V. V. Lamakin - more than 100 thousand years!), Depending on which glaciation to count.

According to geologists, in ancient times the Barguzin basin was a shallow freshwater lake, which was separated from Lake Baikal by a narrow and low mountain bridge connecting the Barguzin and Ikat ridges. As the water level rose, a runoff formed, which turned into a river bed, which cut deeper and deeper into solid crystalline rocks. It is known how storm water flows in spring or after heavy rain wash away steep slopes, leaving deep furrows of gullies and ravines. Over time, the water level dropped, and the area of the lake, due to the abundance of suspended material brought into it by rivers, decreased. As a result, the lake disappeared, and in its place there was a wide valley with boulders, which were later attributed to natural monuments.

But recently, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences G.F. Ufimtsev proposed a very original idea that had nothing to do with glaciations. In his opinion, the Ininsky rock garden was formed as a result of a relatively recent, catastrophic, gigantic ejection of large-block material.

According to his observations, glacial activity on the Ikat Range manifested itself only in a small area in the upper reaches of the Turokcha and Bogunda rivers, while in the middle part of these rivers there are no traces of glaciation. Thus, according to the scientist, there was a breakthrough of the dam of the dammed lake in the course of the Ina River and its tributaries. As a result of a breakthrough from the upper reaches of the Ina by a mudflow or a ground avalanche in Barguzin valley a large volume of blocky material was ejected. This version is supported by the fact of severe destruction of the bedrock sides of the Ina River valley at the confluence with the Turokcha, which may indicate the demolition of a large amount of rocks by mudflows.

In the same section of the Ina River, Ufimtsev noted two large “amphitheatres” (resembling a huge funnel) measuring 2.0 by 1.3 kilometers and 1.2 by 0.8 kilometers, which could probably be the bed of large dammed lakes. The break of the dam and the release of water, according to Ufimtsev, could have occurred as a result of manifestations of seismic processes, since both slope "amphitheaters" are confined to the zone of a young fault with outcrops of thermal waters.

Here the gods were naughty

An amazing place has long interested local residents. And for the "rock garden" people came up with a legend rooted in hoary antiquity. The start is simple. Somehow, two rivers, Ina and Barguzin, argued, which of them would be the first (first) to reach Baikal. Barguzin cheated and set off on the road that same evening, and in the morning the angry Ina rushed after her, in anger throwing huge boulders out of her way. So they still lie on both banks of the river. Isn't it just a poetic description of a powerful mudflow proposed for explanation by Dr. Ufimtsev?

The stones still keep the secret of their formation. They are not only different sizes and colors, they are generally from different breeds. That is, they were not broken out from one place. And the depth of occurrence speaks of many thousands of years, during which meters of soil have grown around the boulders.

For those who have seen the film "Avatar", on a foggy morning, Ina's stones will remind hanging mountains around which winged dragons fly. The peaks of the mountains jut out of the clouds of mist like individual fortresses or the heads of giants in helmets. The impressions from contemplating the garden of stones are amazing, and it is not by chance that people endowed the stones with magical powers: it is believed that if you touch the boulders with your hands, they will take away negative energy, instead bestowing positive energy.

In these amazing places there is another place where the gods were naughty. This place was nicknamed "Suva Saxon Castle". This natural formation is located near the group of salty Alga lakes near the village of Suvo, on the steppe slopes of a hill at the foot of the Ikat Range. Picturesque rocks very reminiscent of the ruins ancient castle. These places served for the Evenk shamans as especially revered and sacred place. In the Evenki language, "suvoya" or "suvo" means "whirlwind".

It was believed that this is where the spirits live - the owners local winds. The main and most famous of which was the legendary wind of Baikal "Barguzin". According to legend, an evil ruler lived in these places. He was distinguished by a ferocious disposition, he took pleasure in bringing misfortune to the poor and indigent people.

He had an only and beloved son, who was bewitched by spirits as punishment for a cruel father. After realizing his cruel and unfair attitude towards people, the ruler fell to his knees, began to beg and tearfully ask to restore his son's health and make him happy. And he distributed all his wealth to people.

And the spirits freed the son of the ruler from the power of the disease! It is believed that for this reason the rocks are divided into several parts. There is a belief among the Buryats that the owners of Suvo, Tumurzhi-Noyon and his wife, Tutuzhig-Khatan, live in the rocks. Burkhans were erected in honor of the Suva rulers. On special days, whole rituals are performed in these places.

Christians often say: look how many miracles we (they) have: myrrh-streaming icons, self-igniting blessed fire, healing the dead, etc. Perhaps these are miracles, and perhaps primitive magic or tricks. But they are often offended and leave when it comes to the wonders of the Vedic civilization.

In India, not far from Delhi, in the town of Shimaikhalori, there is a huge iron column. Its height is 6.7 meters, diameter is 1.37 meters. At the top, the pillar is decorated with ancient ornaments and looks like a column. ancient temple. Perhaps this pillar was erected several millennia ago. The most amazing thing is that it is not subject to corrosion and destruction at all. In 1739, a cannonball was fired at it, which did not cause the slightest harm to the pillar.

How did the ancient masters manage to create chemically pure iron, how did they manage to cast a metal column 7 meters high and girth thick? Science cannot explain it. Some scholars consider the Iron Pillar to be evidence of the existence of a long-vanished ancient civilization, others believe that it was left in memory of a visit to Earth by aliens.

The famous Kutubov column on the altar of the Kuvwat-ul-Islam mosque in the fortified city of Lal-Kot, not far from Delhi, perhaps even today remains one of the many iconic engineering creations of ancient civilizations that keep the secret of the Great Knowledge of antiquity, attracting more and more new researchers. There are many hypotheses about the origin of the column, many argue that never stainless post made of meteoric iron, and some are sure that this is the work of the aliens themselves!

The weight of the legendary column is about six tons. The inscription on the pillar says that it was brought and placed on this site during the reign of Samandragunta, who lived from 330 to 380 AD. The encyclopedic dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron says: “... the iron column of Raja Dhava (beginning of the 4th century AD) was erected in memory of the victory over the peoples Central Asia, as the Sanskrit inscription located here says. For a period of more than 1600 years, rare iron products have survived to this day. There are no traces of rust on the visible surface of the column. Until recently, it was believed that if the column, washed by rain and dew, does not rust, then it is made of pure iron. No other explanations were found.

The glory of this column was also added by legends about its magical healing properties, relieving people from a number of diseases. It is believed that it is enough for a patient who has arrived here on crutches to stand, hugging a column, for 20-30 minutes to recover.

Scientists have conducted a number of studies of the iron column in Delhi. For example, British specialists took small pieces of metal as samples for physical and chemical analysis in London. Upon arrival in London, it turned out that the samples were covered with rust. Soon, the Swedish materials scientist I. Wranglen and his colleagues discovered a zone of severe corrosion on the lower part of the column. It turned out that in the area of the foundation it rusted to a depth of 16 millimeters along the entire diameter. Faith in pure stainless iron was undermined, but other questions remained. Why, for example, does the column not rust higher from the foundation, and also how to explain its healing power?

Similar energy fields are observed above the tops of the pyramids and other places of worship, such as Orthodox churches, made in the form of pyramids, raised above the ground. Above their central bulbous dome, the iron crosses are also immune to corrosion if properly placed in the energy field.

The conducted studies show that inside the column at a height of about 3 meters from the ground there is an additional source of energy field radiation, made in the form of a small compressed rectangular package of thin sheets of unknown radioactive metal. The radiation source is inserted into the column through a drilled and then plugged hole. Perhaps there is a message for posterity. New studies of the column may reveal additional interesting findings.

The version of the creation of the iron column is also curious. More than 12 thousand years ago, a large iron meteorite fell to the west of Bombay, the remains of which are still there on the shelf of the sea. During the heyday of the Atlantean and Indian civilizations, local craftsmen created three identical iron columns by crystallizing meteorite fragments. Other ritual items were made in the underground caves using the same method. There, archaeologists in our time find many finished and unfinished products made of crystallized iron.

Similar ritual columns (pillars) made of stone, wood or metal in the area of places of worship are found on all continents of the planet. They vary in size and complexity of manufacture. Some reached 20 meters in height ( pillars of Hercules), others are only a few meters. For example, in Northern Bukovina, at the Rzhavinsky sanctuary (VIII-X centuries AD), a tetrahedral stone pillar more than 2 meters high was found, tapering upwards, without inscriptions and images. He stood in the center of the sanctuary, symbolizing the "World Axis", around which the Sun mysteriously and symbolically rotated in the process of ritual actions. In fact, such pillars (columns) fulfilled their functional, and not symbolic purpose. The priests had the knowledge of using and transforming weak earthly energy flows. In a word, the stone pillar played the same role here as the iron pillar in Delhi.

Nowadays, such stone pillars can be seen in French Brittany (giant menhirs), in England (carved cross from Gosford), in the Crimea, in the Caucasus, in Africa, Central America. Many of them have a special foundation “cushion” and energy-emitting sources that form an increased vertical energy flow around the pillars. The creations of the ancients reveal their energy side.

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Iron pillar in Delhi.

Iron column in Delhi- an iron column seven meters high and weighing six and a half tons, which is part of architectural ensemble Qutub Minar, located about 20 kilometers south of Old Delhi. The column gained wide popularity by the fact that over the 1600 years of its existence it practically avoided corrosion.

History of the column

The column was erected in 415 in honor of King Chandragupta II, who died in 413. Initially, it was located in the west of the country in the Vishnu temple complex in the city of Mathura. The column was crowned with the image of the sacred bird Garuda and stood in front of the temple. In 1050, King Anang Pola brought her to Delhi. (Other information - temple complex was destroyed in the thirteenth century. by order of the first Sultan of Delhi. Then the column was moved to Delhi.)

Column inscriptions.

The mention of the column is found at Biruni from Khorezm in 1048: “... an iron pillar 70 cubits high was found by the Arabs. Hisham ibn-Amir ordered to dig it to the ground, and at the same time it was found that the pillar was dug another 30 cubits into the ground. Then he began to ask about him, and he was informed that one Tubba from Yemen had entered their country along with the Persians, and when they took possession of India, the Yemenis cast this pillar from their swords and said: “We do not want to go further from here to another country,” and took possession of Sindh.” The presence of such a large iron product in the 5th century symbolized the high wealth of the state. Even after 600 years, describing (from other people's words) the column, Biruni considers it just a legend.

Special thermal mode of life of the column

There are explanations indicating that, due to its mass, the column retains heat for a long time even under conditions local climate dew does not form on its surface.

Unique climatic conditions

dry air

A number of hypotheses explain the anti-corrosion resistance of the above-ground part of the iron column by the dryness of the atmospheric air in Delhi.

There is a theory that the iron column in Delhi is protected by a film of non-slag material formed during its manufacture.

Stone matrices for casting were found a few kilometers from the place where the column was installed. A feature of this mountainous area is an increased level of radiation. It is possible that the column after casting lay for several decades and under the influence of radiation the upper layer turned into amorphous iron, which is resistant to corrosion.

The high phosphorus chemical composition and the amorphous iron structure of the upper layer create an anti-corrosion shell, the main component of which is FePO 4 H 3 PO4 4H 2 O.

Balasubramanyam, comparing the ancient technologies of iron production with modern ones and analyzing archaeological finds, noted that in ancient times phosphorus was not removed efficiently (through slags) but remained in the metal. Later steelmaking technologies could not tolerate high phosphorus content because the steel became brittle. In later technologies, lime was used, which also removed phosphorus to the slag, which was absent in old technologies (as shown by the absence of lime and phosphorus in old slags). The presence of phosphorus is responsible for corrosion resistance.

Column in Delhi as a prototype of modern weather-resistant steels

There is a version that when smelting "by eye", as happened in antiquity, very large deviations in