Hi Michael,
From 1982 to 1989 I kept an archaeological watching
brief over 24 hectares of gravel quarrying North of
the river Blackwater Essex England.
One of the major finds on the site was evidence of an
extensive early Anglo-Saxon Iron Working Industry
including Smelting Furnaces, Ore Roasting pits,
Charcoal Storage pits and Smithing Hearths, (some
hearths were within Industrial Structures).
More than 12 Tonnes of Iron Working Debris including
furnace bottoms and linings, Tuyere fragments, tapped
slags, cinder, ash, pre-roasted ore and charcoal were
moved to the edge of the site, Three Tonnes of which
was collected and stored for future processing.
There was also evidence of Domestic occupation in the
form of Grubenhausen type Dwellings, One contained a
grass tempered "bag" pot and other`s had similar
cooking vessels insitu on small domestic hearths
within the structures.
I am rapidly failing in health (Heart failure, Oedema.
ulcerated varicous ecxema, Pagets desease in skull and
undergoing tests for asbestosis,) so time is precious
to me. If you can collect I have samples of all the
types of debris from the site which you are welcome to
have on condition that you send me a copy of results
of all tests done on the material free of charge.
Regards
Pat Adkins ([log in to unmask])
22 Church road
Tiptree
Essex CO5OTQ
England.
--- Michael Keech <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I am currently studying for an MSc in Archaeological
> Materials, and require
> some advice or points of guidence with my
> dissertation topic.
>
> I am studying Iron slags from a 12th-13th century
> iron smelting site in the
> East Midlands. The site consists of eight furnace
> installations. I am half
> way through the analysis of the furnace slags with a
> SEM.
>
> The problem which I face is that the results show
> two types of furnace in
> use at the site, one is a basic bloomery furnace
> producing results which
> are typical of other sites of the period.
>
> The second type of furnace, produce results in the
> slags which are high in
> alumina levels (12-16%) in both furnace and tap
> slag, iron levels between
> 23-53% and calcium levels of 5-6%. The alumina is
> not provided from the
> ore, which has been analysed and is hematite.
>
> Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Michael Keech
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