1 Experiments with a slag-tapping and a slag pit furnace Anneke ...

Future experiments
Among the questions that remain to be answered are how was iron making done by Iron Age
people? Would the Iron Age farmer have performed both the iron production and the making of
tools, or just a part of the process leaving other parts to specialists? According to the findings of
what frequently appear to be twin-type slag-pit furnaces near rather small settlements, one would
incline to the latter theory. (Matthijs van Nie lecture (1996) and Peter Mikkelsen lecture (1996)).
Future experiments should incorporate the use of these twin-type slag-pit furnaces. The procedure
seems to be more economical. Perhaps such an experiment would answer our questions with
respect to the findings of twin-type furnaces.
Working on the bloom while it is still hot is also a topic that needs to be addressed. The first sample
from our experiment with furnace 1 looks rather promising. In Eindhoven we recently performed a
second experiment where the bloom was worked (October 5 & 6, 1996). It resulted in saving a
considerable amount of time during further processing (Report to follow). Saving time would seem
like a good reason to follow this line of investigation.
References
Booij, A.H. 1986: ijzeroer in Drente. Ontstaan, voorkomen, winning en gebruik. In: Nieuwe Drentse
Volksalmanak, pp. 66-87.
Brasser, L.J., 1993: The Measurement of Air Pollution as produced by Iron Smelting in the Iron
Age. In: IJzersterk, pp. 51-53.
Crew, R, 1991: The Experimental Production of Prehistoric Bar Iron, pp. 22 and 33, table 3, notes l
and 3.
Mikkelsen, R, 1996: Iron Production as Source of Information about Agricultural Production, 2 nd -8 th
Century A.D. in Denmark.
Nie, M. van, 1996: in this volume
Nie, M. van, 1996: Three Iron Production Areas in the Netherlands. Contrasts and Similarities, in:
Magnusson, G. 1996: The importance of Ironmaking. Technical Innovation and Social Change.
Papers presented at the Norberg Conference on May 8-13, 1995 (Jern Kontorets Bergshistorisk
Utskott nr.H58 pp. 100-106).
Modderkolk, R, 1970: De oude Smeedijzerindustrie. In: Nieuwe Drentse Volksalmanak, pp. 97-106.
Richter, P, 1991: Experimentelle Archäologie: Ziele Methoden und Aussagemöglichkeiten. In:
Experimentelle Archäologie, Beiheft 6, Bilanz, pp. 19-49.
Slofstra, J., 1987: Een Nederzetting uit de Romeinse Tijd bij Hoogeloon; De IJzerindustrie. In: 3
Dorpen, één gemeente, een bijdrage tot de geschiedenis van Hoogeloon, Hapert en Casteren,
Hapert, pp 51-86.
This article was published in:
Lars Chr. Nørbach (editor)(1997): EARLY IRON PRODUCTION — Archaeology, Technology and
Experiments. Nordic Iron Seminar, Lejre, July 22nd to 28th, 1996. Technical Report Nr. 3. 1997, pp
73-80.
© Historical-Archaeological Experimental Centre, Lejre, and authors, 1997
ISBN: 87-87567-40-7 ISSN: 0909-4148
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