On Thu, 6 Jan 2000, Tim Young wrote:
> Does anyone know (short of doing this experimentally, which I
> hope to do next summer), how much residue would be expected to
> be generated (or the flip side of the expected % iron loss) in
> smithing large numbers of 8cm nails out of iron bar in a clay hearth?
>
> Does anyone have experience of how many such R-B style nails
> one could make in one day with appropriate technology?
Dear Tim,
in doing my best to work off those post-Christmas calories: sorry can't
help with any exact data but the one who should know more might be
David Sim
[log in to unmask]
As for manufacturing productivity on a broader scale you may wish to have
a look at Pitts & St Joseph's Inchtuthil (1985) - a huge number of nails
related to a fort occupied only for a very short time (if ever). Nice
nail analysis also in Dannell, G. B. & Wild, J. P. (1987) Longthorpe II,
109-112 (just in case).
Not much, I know. Irene
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Wer die Vergangenheit nicht kennt, kann die Zukunft nicht gestalten.
(Goethe)
Irene E Schrufer-Kolb
School of Archaeological Studies Tel.: +44-(0)1280-823102
University of Leicester FAX: +44-(0)116-252-5005
University Road e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Leicester LE1 7RH http://www.le.ac.uk/ar/ies1/
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