The Japanese tatara furnace is another example of current traditions. It was
restarted in about 1950 or so and is running strong with support form the
Mitsubishi Corp. as sponsor.
They do a few smelts every year.
http://www.joho-shimane.or.jp/dentou/hagane/giho_e.htm
http://bahamut.mm.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~kotaro/tatara.html
http://www.hitachi-metals.hbi.ne.jp/tatara/
Richard Furrer
Skip Williams wrote:
> We do have a few firsthand accounts of iron making cultures and
> traditions. And in these cultures we find that the art of making iron is
> not just digging a hole back-of the pig sty. In western Africa the
> makers of iron, organized by klan or guild or kinship, were often
> separate political entities. Some were counsels to kings, others
> shamans, and still others outcasts because they controlled this terrible
> power. This social organization resulted in apprenticeships that lasted
> years, whether this was a cause or an effect we cannot tell. Did the
> production of iron require this organization? Or did the organization
> require the production of iron?
> ___
> William of Ockham, useful though he may be at times, would lead us to
> unfortunate assumptions when we are considering the uncertain number of
> people needed to develop and maintain the craft of iron smelting.
> ___
> When I met Martha Goodway for the first time, she asked this simple
> question. 'how do you make iron?' And I standing there with a
> reasonable sized bloom in my hands realized that I had no answer to her
> question. Martha waited a moment then smiled (with an impish grin) and
> said 'magic, don't you know it's magic'. Now, two years later I
> understand.
> ___
> I refer you to:
> Author McNaughton, Patrick R
> Title The Mande blacksmiths : knowledge, power, and art in
> West Africa / Patrick R. McNaughton
> Publisher Bloomington : Indiana University Press, c1988
>
> Author Herbert, Eugenia W
> Title Iron, gender, and power : rituals of transformation in
> African societies / Eugenia W. Herbert
> Publisher Bloomington : Indiana University Press, c1993
>
> And the wonderful video
> Title: Inagina : l'ultime maison du fer = the last house of iron / a
> film by Documentary Educational Resources, PAVE, Bernard Agustoni, Eric
> Huysecom
> ; directed by Eric Huysecom, Bernard Agustoni ;
> cinematographer, Bernard Agustoni ; written by Armen Godel ; translated
> by Vivienne Baillie
> Gerritsen ; narrated by Douglas Fowley, Jr. ; edited by Bruno
> Saparelli ; music, Jessi Tessougue ; sound mixing, Rene Sutterlin, Denis
> Sechaud.
>
> ___
>
> _____________
> Skip Williams
> Washington and Lee University
> University Computing 105 Tucker Hall
> Phone 540-463-8429
> Fax 540-463-8479
> e-mail [log in to unmask]
> web http://iron.wlu.edu
> __________
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|