Iron artifacts metallographically examined

[TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS]

"A range of iron artifacts, covering an approximate time period from 1000 BCE to 1000 CE, have been
metallographically examined. It is concluded that there was little change in iron manufacturing over this time span
of 2000 years. It is also concluded that some artifacts, specifically tool and weapon (roman too) blades, showed that
knowledge existed, by at least 500 BCE, to increase hardness both by increasing carbon content and by rapid
cooling from the austenite range. The study indicates that there was a considerable degree of sophistication on the
part of these early ironworkers, although the processing is thought to have been empirical."

[url:1vu3ih1m]http://www.lehigh.edu/~inarcmet/papers/pense%202000.pdf[/url]

Valete,

[Endre Fodstad]

The conclusion seems to be reasonable enough; apart from the 9th century Catalan forge, a rising size of blooms (which do not really affect quality) and some other improvements in forge carburization, relatively little happened in the field of iron metallurgy in Europe and large parts of the middle east until the high middle ages. (excepting importen indian wootz ingots and suchlike) I have to admit, though, that a statistical sample of 12 objects seems rather sparse...we're talking 2000 yea rs and a great deal of different geographical regions and cultures, after all. It is great to see that they did perform several tests as well, although it would have been good to see them doing more than one cross-section of each object.