Trevor wrote:
<Sadly, archaeologists in general (and I hope I am not being too unkind)
would not know what a piece of slag looked like it they fell over it, or
the elements associated with metalliferous mining/smelting!>
Phil replied:
<More sweeping generalizations about archaeologists! I'm starting to feel
very defensive this week.>
Sweeping generalizations - who, me? Sadly again an observation from experience. When I first discovered 16/17th century silver/lead slag in Combe Martin, I carried a lump around with me in a pocket for several months. I showed the piece to 7 archaeologists and 2 museum curators none of whom had any idea what it was. It was Peter Claughton who finally identified it, and Peter is a historian, not an archaeologist!
This is not a criticism of archaeologists, just a fact of life and I can understand why. In the degree course in archaeology that I am currently engaged, the content within modules on metallurgy is miniscule. If it isn't taught, how can it be known?
regards,
Trevor
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