Archaeometallurgists have introduced a revolutionary dating technique using Iron-57 isotopic fractionation to analyze slag heaps and artifacts from sites across the Deccan Plateau. This method, which measures the stable isotope ratios of iron to determine the exact temperatures and ore sources used in ancient furnaces, has refined the timeline for iron production in southern India, pushing the start of the mature Iron Age to 1300 BCE.
The research, published in Archaeometry, reveals that early smiths in the region were already achieving furnace temperatures high enough to produce specialized high-carbon alloys. This precision dating provides a more accurate map of the technological transition from bronze to iron and highlights the Deccan's role as a primary center of metallurgical innovation in the ancient world.