ABSTRACT
The reasons behind the gradual replacement of copper by iron in Europe are a complex admixture of sociological, economic, and technological factors. Raw wood does not provide a satisfactory fuel for iron smelting, owing to its oxygen and moisture content. The superstructure of all but a few furnaces has been destroyed, with only the furnace base remaining. 'Block tuyeres' consisting of square blocks of fired clay in which suitable holes have been moulded were often used in the Roman world. The production of semi-finished sword moods seems to be confined to England and Wales as few currency bars have been found outside the region. The microhardness of the central strip and the cutting edges was in the range 370–450 HV, which suggests fast air cooling from 750-850ºC. There will of course be exceptions to the argument: smithing hearth bottoms often contain layers of non-ferrous metals showing that the smithing hearths were often used for a wide variety of purposes.
