05-26-2009, 01:20 PM
I think the recent work by Sim is as yet unpublished. It will be interesting to see if he has uncovered something concrete.
It is the Dolacuathi mine trip-hammers I was writing about in the last paragraph of my reply: the evidence for trip hammers is mainly the depressions made in the base ore-crushing stones, which is argued to be greater than what could be done with man-power. Even excepting african stone forging, the simple evidence of most common hardened steel anvils - that can over time suffer extensive deformation even with tools wielded by a single man - should demonstrate that time can replace brute strength when it comes to deformation.
Wilson's article assembles the circumstantial evidence. But we lack concrete evidence, so far. Until (indeed if) that becomes unearthed, the risk of circular argumentation will remain.
It is the Dolacuathi mine trip-hammers I was writing about in the last paragraph of my reply: the evidence for trip hammers is mainly the depressions made in the base ore-crushing stones, which is argued to be greater than what could be done with man-power. Even excepting african stone forging, the simple evidence of most common hardened steel anvils - that can over time suffer extensive deformation even with tools wielded by a single man - should demonstrate that time can replace brute strength when it comes to deformation.
Wilson's article assembles the circumstantial evidence. But we lack concrete evidence, so far. Until (indeed if) that becomes unearthed, the risk of circular argumentation will remain.
