Baghdad Battery- The First Battery Ever Built

******Baghdad Battery, First Source of Voltage Storage******

These pot-like objects are determined to be from the era of the Parthians and early Sassanians (250 BC to 225 AD).

A number of artifacts found in Iraq are thought to be batteries and called the "Baghdad Batteries".  

 The Baghdad Battery, sometimes referred to as the Parthian Battery, is a clay pot which encapsulates a copper cylinder. Suspended in the center of this cylinder—but not touching it—is an iron rod. Both the copper cylinder and the iron rod are held in place with an asphalt plug. 

There are still conflicting theories among themselves about the dating of the artifacts. For example, Dr. St John Simpson from the department of the ancient Near East at the British Museum, believe that the objects might have come from later Sassanian period, and they were actually scientific in nature with capacity to conduct electricity. 

Contrastingly, others have noted their similarity to conventional storage vessels from the era. And lastly, adding a dash of hullabaloo to the controversial topic, Discovery Channel demonstrated that these ‘jars’ could have been used as batteries to electroplate at least small items.

The Baghdad Battery, sometimes referred to as the Parthian Battery.

These artifacts were discovered during the 1936 excavations of the old village Khujut Rabu, near Baghdad. The village is considered to be about 2000 years old, and was built during the Parthian period (250BC to 224 AD).

Originally found in 1936 at Khuyut Rabu, 30 km to the SE of Baghdad, Iraq, the  person who made the discovery is not documented. The jar showed signs of corrosion, and early tests revealed that an acidic agent, such as vinegar or wine had been present.

Making an electric current requires two types of metals with different electrical properties and an ion carrying solution known as electrolyte to transfer the electrons between the two metals.

If you fill the jar with an acidic liquid, such as vinegar or fermented grape juice, then a measurable current voltage can be recorded. Experiments with models have generated between 1.5 and 2 volts. If you connect the jars together in a series connection, then a larger voltage can be created.

The mystery of the Baghdad batteries is; 

 

                                            "Who or whom is responsible for them? There’s not enough clear data at this time why they exist and who is responsible for their existence. Did a time traveler need some help and left his/her prototypes or technology for the people of that time? Did a space traveler give a technology nudge to a specific group of villagers who later lost that knowledge through attrition? 

Or, did humans 2000 years ago figure out electroplating techniques for jewellery and such, then somewhere throughout history, specific knowledge was lost? Hard to say, but one thing you can’t deny, the Baghdad battery was first, and it works!!!!"