The First Report In Lathe Of Metals, (400 B.C) Options

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THE FIRST REPORT IN LATHE OF METALS
(400 B.C)




A lathe is a machine tool that removes unwanted material from a cylindrical work piece by rotating it against a cutting tool. Common operations include shaping, boring, and threading.

Most serious probative element for the existence of lathe of metals at the 4th century constitutes the stone sign that exists in the Eleusis. The text of sign concerns substantially an order for the manufacture of brassy poles and pistons between the vertebras of the pillars of the Philonian Porch, that put up in the Telestilio of Eleusis. What convulses is the make that the order is based on technical and chemical specifications for which up to now we could not imagine that it was possible they exist that era. From this point of view, the discovery of sign constitutes serious contribution in the history of technology as much in the Hellenic as in the entire known world of that era. The sign was discovered in the Eleusis in 1893 and was studied by the epigraphist D. Filio. It is also mentioned by Orlandos in his interesting book "the materials of structure of Ancient Greeks".

The report in the lathe of metals becomes obvious in the point that the sign reports in the configuration of cylindric poles, and compare it to the lathe for the treatment of timber or the ceramic lathe (From this we can conclude: They knew how to use and make sharp material harder than copper and iron. They were also using lathes for wood and ceramics. The ceramics seem too delicate to me to be used in a lathe but the technicians of this time probably knew better!). The sign speaks for configuration of cylindric poles from hard bronze, that substantially means that in that era was used "..for this treatment cutting tools manufactured from special hard but also unbreakable steels. We find ourselves, that is to say, in an era of high technology in the sector of the productive and thermic treatment of steel, and for this reason, the sign of Eleusis acquires a particular importance after it constitutes the first written testimony of import of lathe in the history of metals ".

How old is dated the discovery of this lathe? It is unknown, after the elements that we have are insufficient so that we be able to formulate an opinion. In any case, logically it should be located 100 -150 years earlier, that is to say roughly from the 6th century B.C at when they attribute to the Glaukos the Chios the discovery of the welding of iron.

Source : Giorgos Varoufakis: "Techniques specifications 4th ajw'nws p.H", ARCHAEOLOGICAL NEWSPAPER, 1974

Giorgos Varoufakis: "ordeal of Materials - Classic Greece", ELOT Athens 1987