A 2,000-year-old electric battery

The discovery of the Parthian Battery near Baghdad in 1936 has intrigued scholars and historians alike, offering a glimpse into the possibility of ancient electrical experimentation. Estimated to be around 2,000 years old, the clay jar filled with a vinegar solution, housing an iron rod encased by a copper cylinder, suggests electrochemical capabilities, generating approximately 1.1 to 2.0 volts of electricity when filled with an electrolyte.

 

 

Experiments conducted by Western scientists have demonstrated that when the jar of the battery was filled with vinegar or other electrolytes, it exhibited the ability to generate approximately 1.5-2.0 volts of electricity. (PH๏τo source: Tehran Times)

Despite the lack of a written record detailing the exact function of these jars, some scholars believe they were used as batteries, potentially for electroplating purposes, while others remain skeptical. The destruction of Iranian literary sources and libraries by Arabs in the 7th century AD has further complicated efforts to uncover the true purpose of these artifacts.

 

 

The discovery challenges conventional theories, suggesting that the concept of a battery may have existed long before the famous scientist Alessandro Volta’s invention of the modern battery. If the Parthian Battery indeed functioned as a battery, it would predate Volta’s invention by over a millennium, reshaping our understanding of ancient technological capabilities.

 

 

A diagram illustrating the ancient Parthian battery

In the broader context of the development of electricity and power, the discovery of the Parthian Battery adds another layer to the timeline of human fascination and experimentation with electricity. From the ancient Egyptians’ recording of electric fish to Thales of Miletus’ discovery of static electricity, each milestone contributes to our evolving understanding of this fundamental force of nature.

Related Posts

Making the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Speak: Scientists Plan to Recreate the Voice of Otzi the Iceman

Italian scientists are attempting to give Ötzi the Iceman a voice. By using CT scans of his throat and the tissue around his voice box, the researchers…

2,500-Year-Old Tattooed Ice Princess Wears Fur to Go on Public Display at Next New Moon

By The Siberian Times reporter An ancient mummy preserved by permafrost is dressed up for her debut 21st century appearance despite calls for solemn reburial from native peoples….

Boris Johnson’s Mummified Ancestor Died from Pathogen, Not the STD Syphilis

New research reveals Boris Johnson’s mummified Swiss ancestor did not die of syphilis, as has long been believed, but of an unknown pathogen. In 1787, at 68 years…

New Tomb Discovered in Turkey! (Video)

This amazing discovery would be incredible and historic enough just by virtue of the fact of its being located in Turkey and suggesting that Queen Neferтιтi fled…

Scientists Solve the Mystery of the Alpine Mummy

For centuries, the unusually well-preserved body of an 18th-century clergyman has been the subject of local legends, speculation, and mystery. According to local lore, the body of…

Incan ‘princess’ mummy aged 8 ‘STOLEN from tomb’ 200 years ago finally laid to rest – but experts can’t crack mystery of her true idenтιтy

A RARE well-preserved mummy of a young Incan girl is being returned to its native homeland of Bolivia. The 500-year-old mummy nicknamed ‘Princess’ is notable for having…