Original voltaic pile. An original voltaic pile, an early form of battery, made in 1799 by Alessandro Volta (1745-1827). The three perspex rods are modern additions to hold the pile together. The 15cm-tall pile is a stack of alternating discs of zinc and copper. The discs are separated by felt or paper discs. When immersed in a suitable electrolyte, such as brine or sulphuric acid, this generates an electrical current. This pile was presented to Michael Faraday when he met Volta in Milan in 1814. it is now on display at the Royal Institution, London.