PUBLICATIONS
Self Published Books & Reports
 |
 |
'20 Years Before the
Blast'
Experimental Bloomery Iron Smelting 2001 - 2024 with Neil Peterson
This 212 page volume is a survey of 101 iron smelting tests
by the author and his working team, presented in a more
formal academic style. Includes assesments of furnace
builds, air systems, ore types and bloom qualities. There
are overviews of four major experimental series; iron smelt
in Vinland, Icelandic turf walled furnaces, the Turf to
Tools project, and Norse Bellows equipment.
8 1/2 x 11 paperback format, 99 colour colour photographs, 25 illustrations, 48 charts and graphs. |
 |
 |
Basics of Bloomery
Iron Smelting Experimental Bloomery Iron Smelting - Part One with Neil Peterson ISBN : 978-1-0691597-2-4 January 2025 This 202 page book is a practical description of the
bloomery iron smelting method, as well as providing a
overview of the history and the theoretical process.
There is information on ores, furnace construction,
tools, operating sequence and the final bloom to bar
step. Based on 20 years and 100
experimental smelts, with 115 illustrations and images.
(8.5 x 11", colour)
Kindle Edition Amazon Paperback |
 |
 |
How Dense Are You?
Recording Bloom Density from experimental iron smelting with Neil Peterson ISBN : 978-0-9783284-6-7 February 2024 This 46 page report details 30 iron
blooms, all made during during investigations into Viking
Age smelting methods, and compares them to a number of
artifact blooms from Norway. Potential effects of ore
types, air volumes, compaction efforts, and working
experience is charted. (8.5 x 11", B&W)
|
Specific Experimental Series Reports
 |
 |
Bloomery Furnaces ISBN : 978-1-0691597-0-0
December 2024 Prepared with the assistance of Neil Peterson This 124 page report details 11
experimental bloomery iron smelts, running from 2001 to
2022, all based on aspects of the first iron smelt in
North America, at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland about
1000 AD. Includes an analysis of the archaeological
evidence, descriptions of the individual exerimental
tests, with 44 images and 13 illustrations. (8.5 x 11",
colour)
|
 |
 |
Iron Smelting in
Vinland
Converting archaeological evidence to a practical method ISBN : 978-0-9783284-7-4 November 2024 This 90 page report details 14
experimental bloomery iron smelts, running from 2001 to
2022, all based on aspects of the first iron smelt in
North America, at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland about
1000 AD. Includes an analysis of the archaeological
evidence and 49 images and figures. (8.5 x 11", colour)
|
 |
 |
Turf to Tools
A Final Summation with commentary by Deirdre OMahony ISBN : 979-83215146-1-0 April 2024 A richly illustrated 76 page report on
the Turf to Tools project, from 2013 - 23 at the Scottish
Sculpture Workshop and the Wareham Forge. The project
combined archaeology, practical experience, and artistic
elements over 8 individual bloomery iron smelts and object
creation. (8.5 x 11, colour)
|
|
2025, Icelandic Sod Walled
Bloomery Furnaces, based on the remains at Hals, presentation at the
International Congress on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo, online (narrated YouTube video) : 2023, Experiment,
Archaeology & Art - The Turf to Tools Project in Experimental Archaeology at EAA-23, Fregni & Maguire
(editors), pending?
2021, Standardized Reporting of Experimental Iron
Smelting - A modest (?) Proposal in The
EXARC Journal, issue 2021/1, online (web journal)
: https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10559 2021, with Smith, K. P. & Peterson, N., Now
with 70% Less Clay! Experiments with Viking Age
Icelandic Turf walled Iron Smelting Furnaces,
presentation for the EAC12 Conference, online (narrated YouTube
video) : https://youtu.be/7Ltz5NG2BP0 2021, with Cogswell, R. & Peterson, N., Archaeology,
Experience
and Experiment : Further tests of
Icelandic iron smelting furnaces, in Can These
Bones Come to Life? Volume 3, Cramer, M. (editor),
Freelance Academy Press, pending?
2020, Westward Viking Iron from
Norway to Iceland ... to Vinland, presentation
for the Woodford Furnace Festival, online (narrated YouTube
video) : 2014, An Iron Smelt in Vinland - Converting Archaeological Evidence to Practical Method, in Can These Bones Come to Life?, Cramer, M. (editor), Freelance Academy Press. Version available as PDF : https://www.warehamforge.ca/ironsmelting/LAM/Smelting-Vinland-V3.pdf 2012, 'But If You Don't Get Any IRON...' Towards an Effective Method for Small Iron Smelting Furnaces', in The EXARC Journal, issue 2012/1, online (web journal) : https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10041 Also available as PDF : http://www.warehamforge.ca/ironsmelting/Get-Iron.pdf |
|
from 2006, Experimental
Iron Smelting, online (web site) : 2025, Experimental Bloomery Iron Smelting Data, with Neil Peterson, online (web site) : https://www.warehamforge.ca/ironsmelting/Iron-Smelt-Data/index.html
2022, 'That Which Remains' : Signs from Bloomery Iron
Smelting - Initial Compaction, online (as
PDF) : https://www.warehamforge.ca/ironsmelting/iron2022/2-compacting.pdf 2021, 'Wind and Weathering - Part Three, Long Term Erosion', online (web site) : 2021, 'Wind and Weathering - Part Two, Air Delivery', online (web site) :
2021, Pulsing Air Equipment Test, online
(web site) :
2021, Stacking Up, On constructing
clay furnace walls online (web site) : https://www.warehamforge.ca/ironsmelting/stacks/stacks.html 2021, 'Sticking To It - A clay mix for Icelandic (furnaces).' online (blog posting) : http://warehamforgeblog.blogspot.com/2021/06/sticking-to-it-clay-mix-for-icelandic.html
2021, Evidence of Absence, Erosion of
Bloomery Furnaces, online (web site) : https://www.warehamforge.ca/ironsmelting/erosion/erosion2021.html 2021, 'Into Phase Three - Continuing experiments with iron smelting, based on Hals, Iceland', online (web site) : https://www.warehamforge.ca/ironsmelting/phase3/phase3.html 2021 (last revision), 'Iron Content of Ores', online (web site) : 2018, 'Bloom to Bar - Results & Yields', online (web site) : 2016, 'Turf to Tools - An artisan's view', online (web site) :
2012, Slag Tuyere Rings, online (blog
posting) :
2011, The EconoNorse Iron Smelter, online (web site) :
2010, Concerning the Shape of Blooms, online
(web site) : 2009, 'An iron smelt in Vinland. Working towards a reconstruction of the L'Anse aux Meadows smelt.' Listing of 8 separate related blog postings (web site) : https://www.warehamforge.ca/ironsmelting/LAM/Iron-Smelt-at-Vinland.html 2008, Towards an Icelandic Smelt -
Based on the remains at Hals, online (web site) :
https://www.warehamforge.ca/ironsmelting/HALS/index.html
2008, Continuing Adventures in Early Iron Production
- An overview of experimental iron smelts, 2007, 'Working Towards an Icelandic Iron Smelt - Based on the remains at Hals', with Kevin Smith and Neil Peterson, online (web site) : 2007, Revised Norse Blacksmith Bellows Air Delivery Test, experimental report, online (web site) : http://www.warehamforge.ca/ironsmelting/bellowstest.html
2007, revised 2012, Air Flow Rates, equipment data tables, online (web
site) : 2007, 'Charcoal Pit Burn Test', photo essay, online (web site) : 2006, 'Blooms on Hand - to April 2006', data table, online (web site) : 2004 ' The Limits of Experiment', online (web site) : |
|
2023, Experiment, Archaeology & Art - The Turf to Tools Project, presentation at the 2023 European Archaeology Assn. conference, Belfast Ireland. 2023, 'Bloomery Iron Smelting', demonstration (x 2) at the Caherconnell Furnace
Festival, the Burren Ireland
2018, 'Bloomery Iron Smelting', demonstration at the CAMELOT (conference), St
Jeromes University, Waterloo Ontario 2017 / 2012 / 2010, 'DARC at Vinland', demonstration iron smelts, LAnse Aux
Meadows NHSC, Newfoundland 2015, 'The Aristotle Furnace', demonstration at the Reconstructive and
Experimental Archaeology Conference, Gastonia North Carolina 2014, 'The Turf to Tools Project', presentation at the Reconstructive and Experimental Archaeology Conference, Gastonia North Carolina 2013, 'I'll Huff and I'll Puff, Observations on Air Delivery in Bloomery Iron Furnaces', presentation at the International Congress on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo 2013, 'Early Iron in North America - Experimental methods towards a sucessful bloomery iron smelt', presentation at the Reconstructive and Experimental Archaeology Conference, Gastonia North Carolinna 2012, 'Towards an Iron Smelt in Vinland', presenation at the International Congress on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo
2008, 'Iron Smelting in Thy', participant demonstrator (x 3),
Heltborg Museum, Denmark
2006, Continuing Adventures in Early Iron Production
- An overview of experimental iron smelts, |
Unless otherwise indicated :
All text and photographs © Darrell Markewitz, the Wareham Forge