Found in 1936, a 2,000-year-old jug with a copper cylinder inside can generate an electric charge. What did the ancients do with it? Was it a battery?
The so-called Baghdad Battery is a jar found by the German archaeologist Wilhelm König in 1938, in Khujut Rabu, on the outskirts of the capital. Iraqi. Covered in bitumen (a material used to make asphalt) and 2,000 years old, the object contained a circular iron bar housed in a copper cylinder. Among a sea of possibilities for use, some people have come to theorize that it would be a primitive battery, but to power what?
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The same discoverer, König, already began to convey the idea of the battery, about eighteen centuries before the first battery for electrical purposes was invented by Alessandro Volta. Although the jug could actually function as a battery, there was nothing to charge at the time. Engineer Willard Gray, for example, used a replica of the artifact and filled it with grape juice, generating 1.5 to 2 volts of electricity. It’s not much, but it’s already a load.
What would the primitive battery be used for?
From trial to trial, even the television program Catch me decided to unveil the mystery and test the practicality of the object. For the occasion, 10 replicas of the ancient amphora were used, filled with lemon juice to act as an electrolyte, i.e. a substance that manages to form positive ions, which, once dissolved, form solutions that conduct electric current.
Alone, each jar produced 0.5 volts, but together they made 4.5 volts. With this, it was established that the myth would be, to some extent, plausible, despite the fact that the part of the theory that speaks of possible uses of this electric potential was missing. Some reviews question the age of the object, placing it a few centuries earlier. dating original, in 225 AD
If it is 2,000 years old, it would be from the Parthian Empire, and if the more modern date is correct, it would be from the Sasanian Empire. In both cases it is possible that the shock effect caused by the kettle was known, even without knowing how it would be produced. Some scientists have brought up some wild speculations for the use of artifacts as well as the religious.
Imagine that the statue of a god was filled by the primitive mechanism. A priest would then place a believer before her and ask questions, instructing the questioned to place his hand on the object after speaking. An incorrect answer would give a small shock and perhaps a pop of blue light due to static electricity. Upon answering correctly, the priest would disconnect the battery from the statue, preventing any shock. The elaborate ritual would have served to demonstrate the power of the god and his religion, as well as that of the priest himself.
more plausible theories
It might even be a far-fetched idea, but it’s not impossible. The problem is that no such jar has been found in the region, a lack of evidence which complicates the theory: why didn’t the users of the artifact, if they knew it worked, spread the knowledge, even within close circles of priests or similar agents?
The least spectacular of the proposals is that the jars were simply used to hold parchment, wrapped around the inner bars, as seen in others found in nearby regions, such as Seleucia. Supporting the theory are archaeologists, who officially do not believe at all that the artifact was a battery. The launcher was looted in 2003 during the US invasion of Iraq, precluding future studies. We will have to continue with the imagination.
Source: Iraqi civil society, BBC news
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Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
