This 400-year-old drinking glass from the Mughal era is poison-detecting

Kings and emperors of the Mughal Empire used unique armor to thwart enemy assassination attempts. A glass with poison detection capabilities was one such noteworthy innovation from that period that is uncommon nowadays. This one-of-a-kind glass has a particular characteristic and was constructed completely of cast glass. Any drink that had poison added to it would be obvious from the glass. Archaeologists in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh, still hold onto this historical artefact from the Mughal Empire.

According to Dr. Subhash Mane, a physician and archaeologist, this glass is 400 years old and comes from the Mughal Empire, as Local18 reported. It was constructed out of Kasa metal. There is a poison-detecting glass component within the metal construction. Insecticide or any other poison would cause the color of the bottom glass to change if someone attempted to contaminate the water. The kings would be made aware of the plot against them by this color shift. Such a jar was incredibly useful for their defense, as poisoning attempts on kings and emperors were common during that era.

When pesticides or poison are added to the water in this specific jar, the water appears green or red when you look through it. This change in color indicates tampering with the water. People would realize this and refrain from drinking the water, sparing their lives.

In addition to being secure, this Mughal-era jar is an artistic creation. Its fine engraving of Mumtaz and Shahjahan with mint demonstrates the period’s exquisite workmanship. The jar can contain half a liter of water and is half a foot tall.

For more than 40 years, Dr. Subhash Mane has been collecting these artifacts from the past. He shares his expertise and love of archaeology with students at no cost, providing them with free instructional lessons regarding these artifacts.