The Mystery of Damascus

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PRESENTER

Mark Warman

ORIGINAL CITY 

Bahrain

Original Date

December 15, 2018

Description

In my talk, I want to tell you a story of beauty, craftsmanship and ancient trade routes. How a technique of forging steel developed in Damascus become synonymous with quality and opulence. How the blades that used the steel were feared by European Crusaders and revered in cultures as far from the Arab World as the Vikings of Scandinavia. And how the process and skill was lost to the sands of time until it was rediscovered by modern science in 1996.

Sources & Future References

• https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/isaa/hd_isaa.htm

• https://epicworldhistory.blogspot.com/2013/07/science-and-technology-in-golden-age-of.html

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_in_the_medieval_Islamic_world

• http://gladius.revistas.csic.es/index.php/gladius/article/viewFile/211/213

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_inventions_in_the_medieval_Islamic_world

• https://prezi.com/g64lq5l5xkz-/golden-age-of-islammilitary

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashidun_army

• https://www.jstor.org/stable/24967574?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

• https://www.thoughtco.com/damascus-steel-sword-makers-169545

• https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Damascus_steel

• https://www.tf.uni-kiel.de/matwis/amat/iss/kap_a/advanced/ta_4_2.html 

• http://www.tameshigiri.ca/2014/01/21/razor-edged-3-comparing-metallurgy/

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP8PCkcBZU4

Contact Info

Instagram: @markjwarman
Website: mark@eastinnovations.com; www.markwarman.com

If you would like to contact the presenter directly, please email us at afikra and we will connect you!