tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681983168048488983.post8022296660995599288..comments2022-05-20T11:48:39.777-07:00Comments on Iron Blooms to Bars - An OAC Projects Grant: Crossover - Slag Rings in Archaeology?the Wareham Forgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14584324650436543045noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681983168048488983.post-31046270180484594542012-04-12T04:41:14.776-07:002012-04-12T04:41:14.776-07:00Anatoly (et all)
I have read the Unglik volume (a...Anatoly (et all)<br /><br />I have read the Unglik volume (actually have it here someplace). I believe what he would be referring to would be 'forge bottoms' rather than the kind of iron smelting slag ring I'm illustrating above. The formation method, composition and physical appearance is quite different. (I've got a couple of forge bottoms I've saved that I could show you next time you are up here.)<br /><br />In the Settlement Era in Canada, both side blast and bottom blast forges were in use. Also forges fired both charcoal and coal. Those variables alone are all going to produce visibly different forge slag remains. Differing working tasks at the forge also produce different types of slag deposits. (As if this could be simple!)<br /><br />Also, in a Canadian context, the tuyere itself is most likely to be made of *cast iron*. I can't imagine that forged copper tuyeres would ever have been seen. Cast iron is the material of the Victorian Age. Such tuyeres would be durable and both easy and cheap to manufacture. <br /><br />Stay tuned - Yesterday (Wednesday April 11) my work was to forge out a copper smelting tuyere from a heavy bar. I'll be describing and illustrating it at some point!)the Wareham Forgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14584324650436543045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681983168048488983.post-24908138460043641592012-04-10T11:11:53.373-07:002012-04-10T11:11:53.373-07:00Hey Darrell,
Such rings have been documented prev...Hey Darrell,<br /><br />Such rings have been documented previously archaeologically as part of Parks Canada publication "A Frontier Fur Trade Blacksmith Shop 1796-1812" by John D. Light and Henry Unglik, 1987. An example which I believe is known to you. Though in that case, the tuyere is identified via forge clinker rings (page 6 of the publication). For anyone interested, the full pdf of the publication is available here - http://www.sha.org/documents/research/Parks_Canada_Resources/A%20Frontier%20Fur%20Trade%20Blacksmith%20Shop%201769-1812%20-%20English.pdf<br /><br />So it would seem that slag/clinker rings can identify the dimensions, location, and the position of the tuyere. Unfortunately, most field excavations (now most widely done as part of salvage archaeology ahead of development) do not see slag as important and hence do not collect it.<br /><br />Your idea about copper re-use is interesting. I happen to be working on a report for a blacksmith shop at the moment and a handful of copper objects were found in association with blacksmithing remains. It might be that they were recycled from the tuyere but most of the items are small, thin objects like springs and wires. What would be the original dimensions of a copper tuyere and roughly what sort of objects would you expect if the copper tuyere was recycled?<br /><br />Anatoly Venovcev<br />Staff Archaeologist and Material Culture Specialist<br />Archaeological Services Inc.<br />Toronto, OntarioAnatolyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13326555796603684788noreply@blogger.com