fbpx

Location: India         Length: 21 min

Traditional iron smelting in India goes on today, offering a glimpse into the country's environmental and social history. Early documents declare that the demand for fuel led to deforestation of much of the Deccan Plateau by the 1830s. The film makers set out to found out how this could be true. Their field research reveals numerous and extensive iron-smelting sites marked by thick deposits of black soil, slag and crucibles. The age of these sites is unknown, but agriculture in southern India clearly demanded the smelting of iron and steel.

Become a
Supporting Member!

Directed by Sashi Sivramkrishna

Produced by FAIR/Foundation to Aid Industrial Recovery

Deccan Plateau Prehistory

Kamat's Potpourri: The History, Mystery and Diversity of India

Metallurgical Heritage of India (Materialia Indica)

Monuments of India (Old Stones)

The Origins of Iron-working in India (Archaeology Online; Rakesh Tewari)