04-07-2011, 06:43 PM
Coal is a frequent find on many archaeological sites, but is often not recognized – either ignored altogether or mistaken for charcoal, burnt wood, and on at least one occasion washed, numbered & recorded as black burnished ware.
The earliest recorded site in Britain where coal has been found in association with metal working dates to the late Iron Age (Long, 1988. 18 &20). The evidence indicates that coal may have been mined in the Forest of Dean and South Yorkshire. The earliest evidence for the use of coal in iron production in the South Yorkshire/Derbyshire/Lancashire/Cheshire areas was found at Hesley Park and Clifton Common.
Coal has been found at many Roman industrial sites, associated with all stages of metal production, from roasting, smelting (with some possible “blast” furnaces), through to smithing (where hearths appear to have been fuelled by charcoal, coal or a combination of the two). Some sites have been found with coal deposits associated with dedicated furnace types suggested to be specific to weapons and armour production (some of these being large-scale production facilities), including Wilderspool, Manchester, Templeborough, Little Chester (Derby), some also with features identified as quenching tanks for weapons/blade manufacture.
At Little Chester, excavations in 1979-80 produced evidence of coal in variety of industrial processes & large coal pile associated with a series of hearths & kilns.
Templeborough produced evidence of coal in variety of processes including pottery & iron production, in both the fort and the industrial annexe. At Templeborough evidence of early coal associated with iron production from the late Iron age was found associated with Phase I of the Roman fort, with the foundations of the earliest rampart (dating to AD 54) being based on deposits of iron slag and iron pan to harden the ground. These deposits may have originated either from a very early vicus or from an earlier Iron age settlement located near to the fort, in either event representing use of coal in iron production processes.
At Wilderspool, large quantities of coal, in the form of “Wigan Nut”, were found associated with the hearths and in some cases was mixed with charcoal. Coal was also found at Templeborough, Cantley, Rossington Bridge and Brough on Noe, associated with iron working activity. Coal is frequently found in association with smithing hearth slag, in pits, ditch fills and other contexts, indicating its extensive use in secondary smithing activity. Analysis of smithing slag from Brough on Noe was found to contain coal inclusions, indicating its use as the primary fuel.
More detailed information in:
Travis, J. R. 2008 ‘Coal in Roman Britain’, Bar British Series 468 (ISBN: 9781407302287).
The earliest recorded site in Britain where coal has been found in association with metal working dates to the late Iron Age (Long, 1988. 18 &20). The evidence indicates that coal may have been mined in the Forest of Dean and South Yorkshire. The earliest evidence for the use of coal in iron production in the South Yorkshire/Derbyshire/Lancashire/Cheshire areas was found at Hesley Park and Clifton Common.
Coal has been found at many Roman industrial sites, associated with all stages of metal production, from roasting, smelting (with some possible “blast” furnaces), through to smithing (where hearths appear to have been fuelled by charcoal, coal or a combination of the two). Some sites have been found with coal deposits associated with dedicated furnace types suggested to be specific to weapons and armour production (some of these being large-scale production facilities), including Wilderspool, Manchester, Templeborough, Little Chester (Derby), some also with features identified as quenching tanks for weapons/blade manufacture.
At Little Chester, excavations in 1979-80 produced evidence of coal in variety of industrial processes & large coal pile associated with a series of hearths & kilns.
Templeborough produced evidence of coal in variety of processes including pottery & iron production, in both the fort and the industrial annexe. At Templeborough evidence of early coal associated with iron production from the late Iron age was found associated with Phase I of the Roman fort, with the foundations of the earliest rampart (dating to AD 54) being based on deposits of iron slag and iron pan to harden the ground. These deposits may have originated either from a very early vicus or from an earlier Iron age settlement located near to the fort, in either event representing use of coal in iron production processes.
At Wilderspool, large quantities of coal, in the form of “Wigan Nut”, were found associated with the hearths and in some cases was mixed with charcoal. Coal was also found at Templeborough, Cantley, Rossington Bridge and Brough on Noe, associated with iron working activity. Coal is frequently found in association with smithing hearth slag, in pits, ditch fills and other contexts, indicating its extensive use in secondary smithing activity. Analysis of smithing slag from Brough on Noe was found to contain coal inclusions, indicating its use as the primary fuel.
More detailed information in:
Travis, J. R. 2008 ‘Coal in Roman Britain’, Bar British Series 468 (ISBN: 9781407302287).
