Secrets of the world's oldest technology encyclopedia solved
4Secrets of the world's oldest technology encyclopedia solved
2,300-year-old formulas have been revealed. Scientists from Oxford University in England managed to decipher 6 chemical formulas in an ancient text written in China 2,300 years ago. Experts said that with the deciphering of the text called Kaogong Ji, which is known as the oldest technology encyclopedia in the world, it has revealed information that will shed light on the making of weapons and works of art in the ancient period.
By deciphering enigmatic recipes from an ancient Chinese text, researchers have unraveled the mystery of the complex art and weapon-making techniques of that time.
6 FORMULA DECORATED
Scientists from the University of Oxford have unearthed six chemical formulas in a Chinese text known as Kaogong ji, which dates to 300 BC.
THE WORLD'S OLDEST TECHNOLOGY ENCYCLOPEDIA
Known as the World's Oldest Encyclopedia of Technology, the manuscript forms part of a detailed archive of Chinese early imperial rule, whose secrets archaeologists have been trying to unravel since the 1920s.
Commenting on the subject, Prof. Dr. "Kaogong ji may have been written by a ruler to assure the emperor that everything is under control. It forms part of a manual on how to run the empire," said Mark Pollard.
IT HAS BEEN TRYING TO RESOLVE FOR 100 YEARS
However, Pollard added that scientists have been searching for the meaning of the two key components, Jin and Xi, that have been in the text for 100 years, but are now able to identify them.
The authors of a study published in the journal Antiquity previously stated that the two mysterious components of Jin and Xi were thought to be copper and tin. But they reported that the new findings may refer to pre-made alloys used in the production of early Chinese bronzes, rather than two different metals.
WHAT IS ALLOY?
The homogeneous mixture formed by the combination of a metal element with at least one other element is called an alloy. . The material obtained is again a material with a metal character, but the alloys show different properties from the metals that enter the mixture.
Pollard said that although they have yet to determine the exact combination of Jin and Xi, they are absolutely certain that they are a mixture of several metals.
"When you consider the possibility of ancient craftsmen using prefabricated alloys, you get a composition that resembles early Chinese bronzes," Pollard said.
On the other hand, the authors of the study reported that the new discovery was made by looking at Chinese coins from the period when Kaogong ji was written. The coins contained two prefabricated alloys, a copper-tin-lead and a copper-lead.
“When I reinterpreted what Jin and Xi meant, it occurred to me that they were describing pre-made alloys,” Pollard said.
On the other hand, the new study has brought to light the secrets that have remained unsolved for years in the Chinese metal fabrication of Cherken.
Commenting on the subject, Pollard said, "This means a whole new phase of metal preparation and procurement that we don't really know about. A better description of Jin and Xi could help researchers decipher Chinese historical texts, as well as shed light on ancient Chinese bronze making. "The research creates an interesting hypothesis about the recipes that introduce the idea of pre-made alloys. It gives us an idea of how these people view the natural world."