1placed on the anvil, and repeatedly beaten by the large iron hammer that
is
raised by the cams of an axle turned by a water-wheel. Not long afterward
it is taken up with tongs and placed under the same hammer, and cut up with
a sharp iron into four, five, or six pieces, according to whether it is large or
small. These pieces, after they have been re-heated in the blacksmith's forge
and again placed on the anvil, are shaped by the smith into square bars or into
ploughshares or tyres, but mainly into bars. Four, six, or eight of these bars
weigh one-fifth of a centumpondium, and from these they make various imple
ments. During the blows from the hammer by which it is shaped by the smith,
a youth pours water with a ladle on to the glowing iron, and this is why the
blows make such a loud sound that they may be heard a long distance from
the works. The masses, if they remain and settle in the crucible of the
furnace in which the iron is smelted, become hard iron which can only be
hammered with difficulty, and from these they make the iron-shod heads for
the stamps, and such-like very hard articles.
raised by the cams of an axle turned by a water-wheel. Not long afterward
it is taken up with tongs and placed under the same hammer, and cut up with
a sharp iron into four, five, or six pieces, according to whether it is large or
small. These pieces, after they have been re-heated in the blacksmith's forge
and again placed on the anvil, are shaped by the smith into square bars or into
ploughshares or tyres, but mainly into bars. Four, six, or eight of these bars
weigh one-fifth of a centumpondium, and from these they make various imple
ments. During the blows from the hammer by which it is shaped by the smith,
a youth pours water with a ladle on to the glowing iron, and this is why the
blows make such a loud sound that they may be heard a long distance from
the works. The masses, if they remain and settle in the crucible of the
furnace in which the iron is smelted, become hard iron which can only be
hammered with difficulty, and from these they make the iron-shod heads for
the stamps, and such-like very hard articles.
But to iron ore which is cupriferous, or which when heated56 melts
with difficulty, it is necessary for us to give a fiercer fire and more labour;
because not only must we separate the parts of it in which there is metal from
those in which there is no metal, and break it up by dry stamps, but we must
also roast it, so that the other metals and noxious juices may be exhaled;
and we must wash it, so that the lighter parts may be separated from it.
Such ores are smelted in a furnace similar to the blast furnace, but much
wider and higher, so that it may hold a great quantity of ore and much
charcoal; mounting the stairs at the side of the furnace, the smelters fill
it partly with fragments of ore not larger than nuts, and partly with
charcoal; and from this kind of ore once or twice smelted they make iron
which is suitable for re-heating in the blacksmith's forge, after it is flattened
out with the large iron hammer and cut into pieces with the sharp iron.
with difficulty, it is necessary for us to give a fiercer fire and more labour;
because not only must we separate the parts of it in which there is metal from
those in which there is no metal, and break it up by dry stamps, but we must
also roast it, so that the other metals and noxious juices may be exhaled;
and we must wash it, so that the lighter parts may be separated from it.
Such ores are smelted in a furnace similar to the blast furnace, but much
wider and higher, so that it may hold a great quantity of ore and much
charcoal; mounting the stairs at the side of the furnace, the smelters fill
it partly with fragments of ore not larger than nuts, and partly with
charcoal; and from this kind of ore once or twice smelted they make iron
which is suitable for re-heating in the blacksmith's forge, after it is flattened
out with the large iron hammer and cut into pieces with the sharp iron.
By skill with fire and fluxes is made that kind of iron from which steel
is made, which the Greeks call στόμωμα. Iron should be selected which
is easy to melt, is hard and malleable. Now although iron may be
smelted from ore which contains other metals, yet it is then either soft
or brittle; such (iron) must be broken up into small pieces when it is
is made, which the Greeks call στόμωμα. Iron should be selected which
is easy to melt, is hard and malleable. Now although iron may be
smelted from ore which contains other metals, yet it is then either soft
or brittle; such (iron) must be broken up into small pieces when it is