COMITE POUR LA SIDERURGIE ANCIENNE

de l'Union internationale des sciences prehistoriques et protohistoriques

W. U. Guyan. president R. Pleiner, secr~haire

Siege du secretariat: Institut d'archeologie, Prague 1, Letenska:4

Communication 24 Edited by R. Pleiner

THE POLISH EXHIBITION AT DUISBURG, GERMANY. Tbe well known exhibition presenting recent Polish results in the field of early iron making had been inaugurated at the Niederrhcinisches Museum der Stadt Duisburg, Federal Germany, on 18th January, 1979. After Berlin, Bochum and Munich it is one offurther reprises of the succl!ssful exhibition. Dc K. Bielcnin. onc of the leading personalities of the research project, read at the said occasion his paper entitled "Eisenerzbergbau~ und .verhiittung im WeichseJbogen".

SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY:

Excavations:

MEDIEVAL BLOOMERY FURNACES IN SIBERIA, USSR. Since 1976 archaeologists at th. University of Kemerovo have been paying attention to metallurgical monuments in the Kuray and Kos-Agae steppes extending to the southeast of the Altay ranges, where suitable ore re­sources enabled smelting of iron in the Early Turkish period covering the second half of the 1st

millennium AD. Several types of furnaces wcre found near Pasanta, Cagan-Lzun and Kuray in the district of Kos-Agac. One of the most interesting types is the earth-built furnace of a prolonged plan (125 ems X 55 erns) and about two meters high. At the height of more than 100 ems above the hearth bottom 20-22 clay tuyeres were inserted into the front wall. The furnace evidently

operated with induced draught. As it is known rnulti-tuyere furnaces were used in the 13-14th century in the ancient Bolgar region on the Volga river. They were believed to represent a sort

of primeval blast furnace. But according to the excavator Mr Zinyakov. Siberian furnaces served for making blooms. After IV. N. Zinyakov. Kemerovo

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975 (Supplements)

A. GRENIER: Les Gaulois. Paris 1970. The book, the first edition of which appeared in 1923.

contains a short description of the known Celtic iron mines and galleries, bloomeries and smithies discove.red formerly at the oppidum at Camp d'Affrique, Dear Nancy (p. 210 sq.),

Z. HENSEL: Badania metaloznawcze wyrobow zeIaznych z IX-XII ''''ieku z Wolina-Summary: Mctallkundliehc Forsehungen aus dem IX-XII Jahrhundert in Wolin. Materialy Zaehodnio· pomorskie 21 1975 (cd. 1978). 61-93. Metallographic examination of 68 iron artifacts from early medieval levels at Wolin, Northern Poland. Among cutting tools there appear simple wrought iron blades, ironato-steel welding in different schemcs was applicated as well. Too]s

are poor in phosphorus, nails show an extremely varying phosphorus content. Iron vessels were made of iron with elevated phosphorus content (average 0,1420/0)' The use of ores rich in phos­phorus increased to·wards the High Middle Ages.

JIANGSU LIUHE CHENGCHIAO 2 HAO MU CHUTU XIAO TIETIAO (Small iron belt, found in the tomb no. 2 at Ch'eng-ch'iao in Liu-ho, Kiangsu province). Kaogu 1974/ 2 (Peking)

119. The remnant of a small iron belt (S cm long) was found dating from thc late Spring Autumn period. The find supports the statement that towards the end of the 6th century BC at the latest, the Chinese were able to obtain comparatively pure pieces of iron (though far from the first quality) suitable for further manufacture of iron implements by appli cation of as low

90 Archeologickti rozhledy XXXII, Praha 1980

temperatures as 8000-1000 °C. Up to that time China had known - similarly as other slave stat("s in the Near East and Egypt - iron implement s only of meteoritic iron.

After R. Fellner

.I.-H. MARECHAT.,: Originc et evolution de Ja mctallurgic du fer dans le Bassin Parisien. looe Congres national des SociCtcs savantcs. Arch{~ologie. Paris 1975, 31- 44. The volume has ap­peared with a considerable delay. The article by M r Marcchal represents a survey of iron slag siles of North-Central France. Comments on orc resources and iron bars of the La Time type.

J. PIASKOWSKI: Dalsze hadania metaloznawcze starozytnych przedmiotow zelaznych z Po­morza Zachodniego. Summary; Weitere metaJlkundllche UntersuchulIgen altertiimlichcr Eisen­gegenstiinde aus Westpommern. Materialy Zaehodniopomorskie 19 1973 (cd. 1976), 173- 191. Investigation of several Hallstatt-La Tene iron pins and of a set of Migration Period knives elC., from a settlement near Lubieszewo.

R. THOMSEN: Om rnyremalm og Bondejern, in: Glimt af Metallurgiclls Udvikling i Danmark (in Dani sh: Bog iron ore and coulltry-type iron). Kebenhavll 1975, 151-163. Bog iron smelting in Jutland since the Roman period, 19th century trials of smelting bog iron ore at Hendsburg, Germany.

G. I. VAROUFAKE: Ereunetike ergasia epi trian sideran lonch6n tou 70u kai 60u aionos p. Ch. (in Greek : Examinations carried out on three spearheads of the 7th and 6th centuries B. C.). MetalIeiologika metallourgika chronika 10 1973,23-34. The Greek version of the same author' s <:ontribution publi shed in Archiv fur das Eisenh"iitteuwesen 41 1970, 1023- 1026, see our Comm. 6, AR 22 1970, 680.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1976 (Supplement)

A. Specialized items

HENAN MINCHI TIEQI TIAOCANG (Iron implements found in the burials at Min-ch'ih, Honan province). 'VCIlWU 1976j8 (Peking), 45-61. The hurials dale into the Northern \Vei period (385- 534 AD) but some of 4195 excavated iron implements seem to he of a more ancient origin. As to the material used three types of cast iron (white. gray and half-white iron), malleable cast iron obtained by annealing and wrought iron are reported. The most interesting material however I S steel having originated in the process of decarhurization of cast iron, gray low·sHiceous iron and cast iron with spheroidal graphite. After R. Fellner

HUANG ZHANYUE: Gunagyu Zhougguo kaishi ye tie he shiyong tieqi de wenti (Huang Chan­yueh: The problem of the origin of iron metallurgy and application of iron implements in China). Wenwu 1976/11 (Peking). 56-59. The author concludes that owing to ancient literary reports a nd hitherto known findings the late Spring and Autumn period (about 6th century BC) could be considered as the earliest era of iron metallurgy in China. After R . Fellner

LI ZHONG DE KEXUE JIANDING (Scientific determination of Li Chung). Wenwu 1976/ 9 (Peking), 56-59. Two adzes with iron blades and bronze handles dating from the \"cstern Chou

period are fully described. AnaJyscs from the recent years proved the meteoric origin of that iron. After R. Fellner

91

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1977

A. Specialized items

D. BASLER: Rimski metalurski pogon i nasclje u dolini Japrc. Summary: Romisches Eisenwerk nnd Ansiedlung im J apra~ Tal. GJasnlk zemaljskog muzeja Bosne i Hcrcegovine u Sarajevu . Arheologija N. S. 30-31 1977,121-215. III along stone-walled house bloc there were situated at least four smithies with anvil spots (feature 11, 4th century AD) having come to light at Blagaj~Maslovare. Survey of written records concerning Roman bloomery officers (vmici lerm­

riarum, 3rd-4th centuries).

J. PIASKOWSKI: Examinations of Early Iron Objects: Part I - Purpose and Methods. Irish Archaeological Research Forum IV/I 1977, 13-22. The author proposes some basic ways leading to certain standardization of methods used in the metallographic research of ancient iron objects. simultaneously presenting his view on the identification of early techniques as revealed in t.he picture developed on polished samples. With regard to the extreme complexity of features as· certailled thanks to microscopical observations and to the techniques mastered by early smiths this standpoint seems to he rather simplified. Unfortunately, the author does not respect nume­rous discussions which have already appeared in the respective literature.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1978 <as to May 1979)

A. Specialized items

J. BOUZEK: Zu den Anfangen der Eisenzeit in Mitteleuropa. Zeitschrift flir Archaologie ]2 1978, 9- 14. The author is inclined to ascribe engraved ornaments on the Latc Bronze Age arti­facts to the first use of steel cutting implements. Thus the first use of iron in Central Europe might be presupposed during the HA2 - HBI period.

H. CLEERE: Roman Sussex - the Weald. In: Archaeology in Sussex to AD 1500. Coullcil for British Archaeology Research Report 29. London 1978, 59-63. Different types of Roman smehing sites of Weald as viewed from their economical and political background. The Western group was directed rather to civil needs. Eastern plallts having had an access to naval ports were jn economical relations to the Roman Classic Britanllica.

J. EMMERLING: Technologische Ulltersuchullgen an kaiserze-itlichcll Schwertern aus Buchhain (Buchowien). Alt-Thiiringen 15 1978,92-102. Two swords from the Romano-Barbarian crcrtw­tion cemetery at Buchhain (distr. of Finsterwalde) were examined metallographically. Sword no. II 10.104 c, ritually bent, was welded together from 4 rods. Soft steel in both edges. Punched marks. Sword no. 10.104 b: a special kind of ornamental pattern-welding based on folding iron· and·stecl strips which served as inlays. Both edges show structures low in carbon.

W. GAITZSCH: Rornische Werkzeuge. Stuttgart 197B, 81 pp., 46 figures. A nice booklet pre­senting a survey of Roman blacksmith's tools from Romano-provincial towns in Germany. Remarks on smithies, hoards of iron objects, Roman terminology relating to tools and handicrafts .

Z. HENSEL, see J. Piaskowski, below p. 93.

92

L. S. KHOMUTOVA (Mrs): Rezul'taty mikrostrukturnogo issledovaniya kuznecnych izdeliy_ ]n Russian: Hesults of micrographic examination (of iron ohjects from Yaropolc Zulesskiy), cf. M. V. Sed ova, p. 95.

K. LUDIKOVSKY, see K. Stninsky below

K. LUDIKOVSKY . V. SOUCHOPOV A (Mrs.): Hutnicke stfedisko z mladSi doby hmske v Suo dicich (0. Blansko). In Czech: Bloomery center of the Late Roman period at Sudice (district

ofBl.nsko). VlastivCdny vestnik morav,ky 30/31978, 313-315. Slag·pit furnace field s at Sudice, West MoravJa: groups of 72,17 and 47 hearthE. Local refractory clays resisted temperatures of 1600 ' C. Local ook charcoal.

.T. MERTA: Vyroba zcleza v ceskych zemich v obdobi vrcholneho stfcdoveku. Summary: Die Eisenproduktion in den bohmischen Landern irn Zeitraurn des gipfelnden Miaelalters. Sbornik Technickcho muzea v Brne 2 1978, 88-106. Comments on the metallurgy of iron in Bohemia

and Moravia in the light of the rather limited archaeological evidence and according to written

sourct"s.

J. PIASKOWSKI· Z. HENSEL: Metaloznawcze bad.nia pncdmiotow zelaznycb z cmentar­zyska cialopalnego w Kryspinowie, Gm. Liszki, woj. Krak6w. Summary: Mctallographic investi­

gation!) of iron objects from the cremation cemetery at KrYl:pin6w, commune of Liszki, province

of Krakow. Sprawozdania Archeologiczne 30 ]978, 175- 186. Eight analyses of Roman period artifacts from Kryspinow, ~outhern Poland. Mainly hetcrogelleous steels It~ft in h eated state.

M. SLIVKA: Stredoveke hutnictvo a kovacstvo na vychodnolTl Slovcnsku. Summary in German, without title (Medieval metallurgy and blacksmith's craft in Eastern Slovakia). Historica Car­pathica 9 1978, 217-263. Evidence concerning medieval metallurgy and iron workil~g in the

East of Slovakia during the 13th- 17th centuries. Excavations of smithies at Zaluzany (14th century), Lubovna and Kapusany (both of the 17th century date), all in castles. Metallurgical c)l:amination of ,,,'-rought iron nails from the castle of TrebiSov.

V. SOUCHopovA, see K. Ludikovsky, above

K. sTnANSKY . V. SOUCHopovA (Mrs) - K. LUDIKOVSKt: Pokusne tavby s pfimou vi'­I"obou 7.eleza z rud v sachtovych pecich nn Blanensku. (In Czech: Trial bloomery smelts m shaft furnaces in the region of Blansko, IVloravia). SIevarcn5.tvl 26/11 1978,464- 467. New trials witlt

the smelting of iron ore Ht the slag-pit type of the bloomt'fy furnace were .carried out at Blansko. Parameters of the most successful smelt: shaft height ] o() nns, slag-pit depth 35 cms, hearth

diameter 38 ems: highest temperature 1220 "C (torced draught), ore; a mixture of Indian rich ore and local poor ore 6: I, ore/fuel ratio 1 : 1, fuel: commercial beech charcoal, duration of the smelt: 3 hours 25 minutes; yield: bloom of heterogeneous iron with carbon content varying from

traces up to > 20/0 C. The output was 13% of the ore content.

J. C. WALDBAUM (Mrs): From Bronze to Iron. Tbe Transition from tbe Bronze Age to the lron Age in the Eastern Mediterranean. Studies in l\fediterranean Archaeology 54. Goteborg 1978, 106 p., diagrams, charts_ Historians of technology as well as archaeologists may profit from this valuable book bringing statistical evaluation of practically all important iron objects

and assemblages from stratified sites in the 12th-10th centuries BC in Eastern Mediterranean

93

mcl. Palestine, Syria, Cyprus, Greece, Crete, Aegean isles, Anatolia and Egypt. The topic is divided into six chapters as follows: I Introduction, 11 Distribution of Iron in the Eastern Medi· terranean in the Bronze Age, III DistributIOn of Iron in the Eastern Mediterranean: 1200-900 BC, IV Comparative Distribution of Iron, Bronze, Cold, Silver, and Lead in the Eastern Mediter­ranean: 1200-900 B. c., V Raw Materials, Mining and J,fetallurgy in the Eastern Mediterranean: 1200- 900 BC, VI Conclusions. Appendix. Notes. Abbreviations. Bibliography. Index of Place Names. General Index. - Mrs Waldbaum compares the occurrence of iron in the rc1evant areas with the historical background marked through the decline of main civilizations and formations. She is with good reasons sceptical as to the often daimed Hittite strategical iron monopoly and to the dominating influence on the use of iron {~xcrtcd bye. g. Dorians and Philistincs. On the otlwr hand the authoress seems to be inclined to underestimate the role of Anatolia, where the most ancient and most I)rogressive metallurgical tradition can be attested. At the end of the existence of the Hittite confederation deliberate making of iron was known already in many neighbouring countries, however, the quantitative rise of production proceeded velY slowly: ill the 12th century iron could be met with in all relevant areas, during the 11th century its use made a considerable progress, and in the 10th century iron had become a wide spread technical metal. A very sympathetic feature of Mrs \Valdbaum's book is the full compari!:5011 with the simultaneous frequency of non~ferrous alloy~, gold and silver enabling us to understand t.he importance of iron in different categories of artifacts during ages whieh really has involved an enormous , .. 'ork. The development of thc technology of iron in the Near East was vcry slow because the recognition of the most suitable properties of the new metal took up much mort: time than in other areas where mere adopting of the already developed technology may be presupposed.

A. R. WILLIAMS: Medieval Material for Armour. Materials Science Club: Bulletin no. 56~

December 1978, 22- 29. Measuring of the armour plate thickness which was increasing after 1550. The hardness of the average armour breast plates used to be low in the COurse of centuries. Resistivity tests.

A. R. WILLIAMS: l\Iedieval metalworking - Armour plate and the advance of metallurgy. Chartered Mechanical Engineer no . .16, December 1978, 109-114. The metallurgical examina~ tion of protective armour has found in Mr Williams an ex.perienccd explorator in the last years. The above paper deals with eight !:'amples of European armour ranged chronologically from the Roman period up to the 17th century. Hard steel was used for making luxurious pieces since the end of the 15th century. Metal1urgical comments on the medieval bloomery and blast furnace process, hardening etc., remarks on prices of armour on hand of selected examples.

B. Jli.<;lory 0.( iron as memioncd in other publications (1978)

DIE GEHMANEN. ErN HANDBUGH. I. (B. Kriiger ed.). Berlin 1978. Three chapters of the first volume of the synthetic survey relating to the history and culture of Germanic tribes during the earlier Roman period (until the 2nd century AD) present discussions on early iron making and ' .... orking. Chapter IV v (by D. Horst): Coming of iron into the North German Plain during the 7th-6th centuries BC; chapter VI c: Metal working and other crafts in centuries BC (by H. Se.rer), bloomcries of Stutz and Stender up, blacksmith's graves at Leipzig-Thekla and Dessau; chapter XI b: Iron industry during the 1st-2nd centuries AD (by G. Griillert). Bloomeries at Gera-Tinz, Riestedt. blacksmith's hammers from Uichteritz and GroJ3rornstedt. The majority of blacksmiths counted to free members in the community. First traces of the exi stence of dependent craftsmen (farmstead of Feddersell-Wierde. NW Germany).

G. GRiJNERT, see Die Germanen, above

94

D. HORST, ibidem

Y. KARAGEORGHIS: Chronique des fouilles et decouvertes archeologiques a Chypre ell 1977. Bulletin de Correspondence Hellcllique 102 102 1978/II. In chapter 6 dealing with the discoveries at Kition an iron flange.hilted sword found in the Latc Cypriot III Al level in a temple area is published.

K. LUDIKOYSKY: Die Fragen der archaologischen Komplexfeldforschungen in Miihren. In: International Symposium Mechanization of the Archaeological Fieldworks. Chojnice 15.-17. IX. 1977. Archaeologica Baltiea 3, L6dz 1978. 79-103. The application of the proton-magneto­

metric prospect ion in archaeology: bloomerics of Sudice. BIoc..:diagrarnmatic projections of measured anomalies.

M. PETRESCU-DIMBOVITA: Scurta istorie a Daciei prcromane. In Roumanian: Short history of pre-Roman Dacia. Ia~i 1978. Iron tongs with flat jaws from gradistea Muncclului (p1. 25). A La Tene period iron helmet from Ciume~ti (pI. 24).

M. PY: L'oppidum des Castels a Nages (Gard). Foui lles 1968- 1974. xxxye supp!. a Galli •. Paris 1978. Certain slag agglomerations and blacksmith's tools (tongs) in the D and L areas attest the ironworkmg activities at the oppidum. Scrap metal in an amphora. ht century BC. Pp. 320-321.

M. Y. SEDOYA (Mrs): Jaropolc Zalcs.kiy. Mosk"a 1978. Results of excavations of an ancient Russian hil1fort from the 10th-13th centuries AD. Bog iron ore pieces and "blooms" were found in huts of the latcr period. Blacksmith's tools (tongs), sheet scissors, forged semiproducts (pp. 72-73). Appendix has been written by L. S. Khomu!ova (Mr.) and it deals witb the results of metallographic investigation of 66 iron objects. The niveau of the local blacksmith's technique cannot be considered as too much developed: slaggy iron, slag in welding seams, simple techniques both in wrought iron and steel prevail (640/0)' Martquenching was common.

H. SEYER. scc Die Germanen, above