Period: Late Iron Age (1-700 AD)

Project title: Jernudvinding i slaggeaftapningsovn

Researchers: Iron extraction's group "Thorbardin", Copenhagen, Denmark

E-mail: amatthissen(at)hotmail.com

Year: 2002

Abstract:

The iron-smelting group has worked for a number of years with smelting of iron from Danish bog ore. This year iron will be extracted from ore from the Ølgod area in Southern Jutland. Several years of experience have allowed the development of a effective technique in which the process within the furnace can be controlled by the continuous action of bellows. This year a new type of bellows will be tested; these are reconstructed on the basis of a find from Nydam Bog. Finally, the extracted iron will be purified and smithed into ingots and tools.

Reference number: HAF 13/02

Project title: Forsøg med bygning og brug af slaggeaftapningsovn

Year: 2001

Abstract:

Since 1995 the iron-smelting group has experimented with iron smelting in a slag-pit furnace. For many years we have worked with discontinuous draught which is the most commonly used in Denmark. In the last four years, however, we have worked with continuous draught with the bellows being employed throughout the whole experiment. This proved to have many advantages such as, for example, the shorter run-through time for the ore. The continuous method is, at the same time, the extraction method which gives the most secure result. The three attempts this year have been the most successful so far as large quantities of ore were run through the furnace. In the experiments this year we have, for the first time, produced large quantities of forgeable iron which has now been purified as ingots.

Reference number: HAF 11/01