Experimental Iron Smelting

Selected Reference Works

Boonstra, A., van de Mannakker, T., & van Dijk, W., 1997, ‘Experiments with a Slag-Tapping and a Slag-pit Furnace’, in Nørbach, L., (editor) Early Iron Production – Archaeology, Technology and Experiments, Historical-Achaeological Experimental Centre, Denmark

Elspelund, A., 1997, ‘i>The “Evenstad” Process – Description, Excavation, Experiment and Metallurgical Evaluation’, in Nørbach, L., (editor)Early Iron Production – Archaeology, Technology and Experiments, Historical-Achaeological Experimental Centre, Denmark.

Espelund, A., 2013, ‘The evidence and the secrets of ancient bloomery ironmaking in Norway’, Arketype Forlag, Trondheim, Norway

Nissen, M., 2005, ‘Eksperimenter med oldtidens jernudvinding På Ribe Vikingecenter 1999-2004’, Ribe Viking Centre, internet publication available at : https://ribevikingecenter.dk/media/10493/Artikel_om_Jernudvinding.pdf

Nørbach, L., (editor), 1997, Early Iron Production - Archaeology, Technology and Experiments, Prehistoric and Medieval Direct Iron Smelting in Scandinavia and Europe, Denmark, Aarhus University Press

Noreland, O., 2015, Technological aspects of iron production at Skógar, Iceland AD 940 – 1305, (Masters Dissertation), University College London
Also available as PDF : https://www.academia.edu/36632076/Technological_Aspects_of_Iron_production_at_Sk%C3%B3gar_Iceland_AD_940_1300

Pliener, R., 2000, ‘Iron in Archaeology – The European Bloomery Smelters’, Archeologicky Ustav Avcr, Pravha Czech Republic, 80-86124-26-6

Rehder, J.E., 2000, ‘The Mastery and Uses of Fire’, MacGill-Queens University Press, Magill Press, Montreal Canada, 0-7735-2067-8

Smith, K. P., 2005, ‘Ore, fire, hammer, sickle: iron production in Viking Age and Early Medieval Iceland.’ in De Re Metallica: Studies in Medieval Metals, AVISTA Studies in the History of Medieval Technology, Science, and Art, Volume 4, edited by Robert Bork et al.,. pg.183-206. Ashgate Press, Aldershot, UK.

Experimental & Historic Iron Smelting on Video
A fuller collection on my YouTube Channel


Experimental Archaeology : Prehistoric Iron Smelting Demonstration by Wessex Archaeology Experimental archaeologist Jake Keen demonstrates some of the concepts of iron smelting in a bloomery furnace using techniques believed to have been used during the British Iron Age. The demonstration was part of Wessex Archaeology's annual practical archaeology course. (October 2006 - length 4:50)	Iron production in the Viking Age - Lofotr Viking Museum by Aurora Borealis Multimedia Experimental iron production based on the reconstructed viking age technology. Bloomery iron production based on swedish furnaces from the Viking Age. Charcoal production based on knowledge from northern norwegian archaeological sites. The experiment was carried out at the museum in Lofoten under the supervision of K.G. Lindblad in 2003. (August 2007 - length 6:55)	Celtic Iron Intro / 5 parts by 'Robin DV' Thijs van de Manakker, at Eindhoven, Netherlands. Each of the individual segments run about 9 minutes. They show the progress of preparing materials, building the furnace, smelting, refining the bloom and finally forging into a spear head. (December 2010)
		Video Posted to Facebook
Inagina : The Last House of Iron (preview) by Eric Huysecom & Bernard Augustoni Swiss archaeologist Eric Huysecom and cameraman Bernard Augustoni work with 13 master smelters to recreate the building of a traditional furnace for smelting iron in Mali. ... This film describes in great detail every aspect of the event, from the selection of the site of the reconstruction - which is the oldest remaining furnace site in the region, last active in 1961 - to the final result. (September 2008 - length 10:46)	Dokwaza: Last of the African Iron Masters by Nicolas David ...the reenactment of a smelt by iron workers of the Mafa ethnic group shows a furnace type and a process that are unique to a part of the northern Cameroon and Nigerian border area. Includes preparing the furnace, the smelt, refining the bloom into a hoe. (1988 - length 49:0)	Smelting Iron to Ship Rivets by Vikingeskibsmuseet Roskilde Jens Olesen</b> smelts iron, based on Viking Age methods at The Viking Ship Museum. The iron, once converted into working bars, will be forged into ship rivets to be used in the reconstruction of the Skuldelev 3 boat. (December 2021 - length 7:06)

Special thanks to :

the DARK AGES RE-CREATION COMPANY

Forms the backbone team that I work with.

Go HERE for an introduction
to DARC

The main DARC web site holds the documentation for early iron smelts
undertaken by the team, along with associated notes and other materials.
By Neil Peterson, who also writes many of the overviews.

Go direct to DARC IRON

the 'Gangue aux Fer'

Without the guidance and friendship of these individuals, I would never have smelted iron.

(L > R - at Early Iron 1, 2004)

Lee Sauder
Skip Williams
Mike McCarthy

Early Iron Experimental Group

" A collection of working metalsmiths, historians and archaeologists. Our interest is using the methods of experimental archaeology to develop working skills related to the smelting of iron ores to workable metal using historic techniques."

The original Early Iron web site has been mirrored here

And thanks to those who participated in :

the Early Iron Symposiums (2004 / 2005 / 2006)

Lee Sauder's 'Smeltfest' workshops (2006 / 2008 / 2011)

I would like to specifically thank the friendship and mentoring of :

Dr. Birgitta Wallace

Kevin P. Smith

Text descriptions of papers and videos by the original authors indicated.

Text and photography © 1998 - present, Darrell Markewitz

Lee's complete web site : www.leesauder.com	Describes Lee's iron smelting and blacksmithing research, working guides, available video and sculptural work. A more extensive list than offered below.
The Basics of Bloomery Smelting	An introductory paper (he) wrote for The Anvil’s Ring (Artist Blacksmiths of North America journal), Winter 2000.
A Practical Treatise on the Smelting and Smithing of Bloomery Iron	This is the paper (he) wrote for Historical Metallurgy 36(2) 2002, reporting (the) early work and challenging some of the prevailing notions about bloomery smelting.
Update on the “Practical Treatise"	An excerpt from a paper published in the proceedings of the HMS 2010 conference. This summarizes some of the changes in (his) technique since the original paper.
Bloomery Construction	Step by step instructions for building a clay bloomery furnace.
A Wrought Iron Tuyere Design for both Smelting and Forging	A very robust and useful tuyere based on a mid 19th century artifact.
Bloom Forging Hints	Some tips on consolidating a bloom into a rough bar.
The Management and Exploitation of Phosphorus in Bloomery Iron	This (2025) paper summarizes years of experimenting with controlling the phosphorus content of iron, and benefits of forging with phosphoric iron.


Ore To Axe A beautful documentary by filmmaker Ken Koons that follows (Lee) and (his) friends Steve Mankowski and Shel Browder as we find iron ore, make charcoal, build a bloomery, smelt a bloom of iron, resmelt some of the iron to steel, and finally forge the iron and steel into an axe. (January 2022 - length 51:24) Purchase a DVD copy	Between the Rock and the Hard Place Another lovely documentary by filmmaker Ken Koons that follows (Lee), Steve Mankowski and Shel Browder as we demonstrate “Forgotten Methods of turning Iron into Steel” using four methods: Theophilus’ Method, Aristotle’s Method, Evenstad’s Method, and Quickie Cementation. With each method, a knife is made from bloom or wrought iron with detailed info given for each (March 2022 - length 55:33)	Forging a Copper Tuyere Filmmaker Ken Koons made this very useful short video that demonstrates how (Lee) forges the copper tuyere that (he) uses in (his) smelting furnaces and forge. (January 2018 - length 4:15)

Making Charcoal in a Retort This movie shows the construction and operation of a charcoal retort to make fuel for smelting, forging, or cooking. It is a fairly simple design built of scrap 275 gallon oil tanks. This retort will make 160 to 180 lbs of charcoal in about 6 hours. (February 2018 - length: 23:13)	Ancient Iron, Experimental Archaeology in Sudan A documentary about the first of three seasons that (Lee) worked in Sudan where UCL Qatar was conducting a large-scale systematic investigation of the iron production remains at Meroe and at the Meroitic site of Hamadab. (August 2016 - length: 1:01:26)