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Locating Iron Production Sites in Telangana, India Using Satellite Imagery


Affiliations
1 Department of History, School of Humanities and Social Science, Block E, Lower Ground Floor, Shiv Nadar University, NH91, Tehsil Dadri, Gautam Buddha Nagar 201 314, India
2 National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bengaluru 560 012, India
3 Bangalore University, Ramachandra Road, Ambdekar Veedhi, Sampangi Rama Nagar, Bengaluru 560 009, India
 

The use of satellite imagery is explored in mapping the distribution of archaeometallurgical sites for iron and steel production and as a tool for potential reconnaissance in northern districts of Telangana. Travellers' accounts from at least the seventeenth century suggest that this was an area where pre-industrial iron and steel production flourished, which is also testified by the vast amount of archaeometallurgical debris in the region. The geographical distribution of ferrous metal production sites within this landscape has been documented by integrating data from surface surveys on over 100 archaeometallurgical sites with satellite imagery. Despite the constraints that the surface sites could not be dated by archaeological excavation, this pilot study explores how satellite imagery and related experimental procedures may be used to complement surface archaeometallurgical surveys and reconnaissance efforts.

Keywords

GPS Survey, Iron, Satellite Imagery, Telangana, Wootz Steel.
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  • Locating Iron Production Sites in Telangana, India Using Satellite Imagery

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Authors

Smriti Haricharan
Department of History, School of Humanities and Social Science, Block E, Lower Ground Floor, Shiv Nadar University, NH91, Tehsil Dadri, Gautam Buddha Nagar 201 314, India
Nagabhushana
National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bengaluru 560 012, India
Sharada Srinivasan
Bangalore University, Ramachandra Road, Ambdekar Veedhi, Sampangi Rama Nagar, Bengaluru 560 009, India
M. B. Rajani
Bangalore University, Ramachandra Road, Ambdekar Veedhi, Sampangi Rama Nagar, Bengaluru 560 009, India
S. Ranganathan
Bangalore University, Ramachandra Road, Ambdekar Veedhi, Sampangi Rama Nagar, Bengaluru 560 009, India

Abstract


The use of satellite imagery is explored in mapping the distribution of archaeometallurgical sites for iron and steel production and as a tool for potential reconnaissance in northern districts of Telangana. Travellers' accounts from at least the seventeenth century suggest that this was an area where pre-industrial iron and steel production flourished, which is also testified by the vast amount of archaeometallurgical debris in the region. The geographical distribution of ferrous metal production sites within this landscape has been documented by integrating data from surface surveys on over 100 archaeometallurgical sites with satellite imagery. Despite the constraints that the surface sites could not be dated by archaeological excavation, this pilot study explores how satellite imagery and related experimental procedures may be used to complement surface archaeometallurgical surveys and reconnaissance efforts.

Keywords


GPS Survey, Iron, Satellite Imagery, Telangana, Wootz Steel.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv111%2Fi9%2F1536-1543