Tin smelting slags from Crift Farm, Cornwall, and the effect of changing technology on slag composition
Abstract
Tin-smelting slag from an early medieval site at Crift Farm in Cornwall was analysed using SEM/EDS. A comparison was made between the chemical composition of this slag, which was produced by a simple hand-blowing technology, and slag from seven tin-working sites of later date which employed a more sophisticated water-powered blowing-house technology. The chemical compositions of areas within single pieces of slag were found to be highly variable. This is suggestive of a highly viscous material, with little mixing during smelting. The Crift Farm slag was found to have a chemical composition sufficiently similar to the later ‘blowing house’ slags that it could not be distinguished from them by this method of analysis.
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References
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Thomas G 2000, A Chemical and Minerological Investigation of Bloomery Ironmaking in the Bristol Channel Orefield, UK, unpublished PhD thesis: University of Wales.
Tylecote R F, Photos E and Earl B 1989, ‘The Composition of Tin Slags from the South west of England’, World Archaeology 20, 432–445.
Aylett J 1996, Medieval Tin Smelting and the Characterisation of Tin Slag from Crift Farm, Cornwall, unpublished BSc dissertation: University of Bradford.
Buckley A and Earl B 1990, ‘Preliminary Report on the Tin and Iron Working Site at Crift Farm’, Journal of the Trevithick Society 17, 66–77.
Dines H G 1969, The Metalliferous Mining Region of South West England (London).
Earl B 1985, ‘Melting Tin in the West of England: A Study of an Old Art’, Historical Metallurgy 19/2, 153–161.
Earl B 1991, ‘Tin Preparation and Smelting’, in Day J and Tylecote R F (eds) The Industrial Revolution in Metals, Institute of Metals, 37–83.
Gerrard G A M 1986, The Early Cornish Tin Industry, unpublished PhD thesis: University of Wales, Lampeter.
Greeves T 1981, ‘The Archaeological Potential of the Devon Tin Industry’ in Crossley D W (ed), Mediaeval Industry, CBA Research Report 40 (London).
Hatcher J 1970, Rural Economy and Society in the Duchy of Cornwall 1300 –1500 (Cambridge).
Malham A 1996, The Composition and Interpretation of Tin Smelting Slags from Crift Farm, Cornwall, unpublished MPhil thesis: University of Bradford.
McDonnell J G 1993, The Crift Farm Project Interim Report December 1993, Department of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford (unpublished).
McDonnell J G 1994, The Crift Farm Project Interim Report 1994, Department of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford (unpublished).
Palmer D and Easterbrook G 1999, Earth Materials (The Open University).
Salter C J 1997, ‘A Note on the Tin Slags from Caerloggas Down, Cornwall and the Upper Merrivale Blowing House, Devon’, in Budd P and Gale D (eds), Prehistoric Extractive Metallurgy in Cornwall, 45–49.
Sanderson D C W and Hunter J R 1981, ‘Composition Variability in Vegetable Ash’ Science and Archaeology 23, 27–30.
Thomas G 2000, A Chemical and Minerological Investigation of Bloomery Ironmaking in the Bristol Channel Orefield, UK, unpublished PhD thesis: University of Wales.
Tylecote R F, Photos E and Earl B 1989, ‘The Composition of Tin Slags from the South west of England’, World Archaeology 20, 432–445.
How to Cite
Tin smelting slags from Crift Farm, Cornwall, and the effect of changing technology on slag composition. (2022). Historical Metallurgy, 36(2), 84-94. https://www.hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/265
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How to Cite
Tin smelting slags from Crift Farm, Cornwall, and the effect of changing technology on slag composition. (2022). Historical Metallurgy, 36(2), 84-94. https://www.hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/265