Tool steel has become an indispensable manufacturing material in modern society due to its hardness and resistance to abrasion and corrosion, and it is a component in everything from pocket knives to drill bits. Often made with an element called chromium, it was long thought to have been invented in the twentieth century. Recently, however, scientists have discovered that medieval Persians created an alloy resembling tool steel nearly a millennium ago.
An ancient manuscript whose title translates as "A Compendium to Know the Gems" contains an account of the process for forging steel with chromium. While the recipe was ambiguous in places, traces of chromium were discovered in artifacts from the site where the manuscript was found. Using radiocarbon dating, researchers have determined that the steel dates back to at least the twelfth century.
The steel was likely used to manufacture armor and swords and would not have contained the impurities of other ancient metals. However, because the ancient blacksmiths also added phosphorus in order to lower the metal's melting point, the items would have been more brittle than the tool steel of today. Nonetheless, the items produced by medieval Persians were known for their exquisite craftsmanship, and this amazing discovery demonstrates once again the ingenuity and resourcefulness of our ancestors.
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