Talk:History of ferrous metallurgy

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Contents 1 Source 2 Query 3 Needham 4 Meteoric Iron and Legendary Weapons 5 Hittite trade in Meteoric Iron? 6 Bloomery and blast furnace

[edit] Source

This article is the result of merging sections that appeared in articles on iron and steel. It incorporates adverse comments made in respect of the prehistoric sections and the referecnes that they cited. However, in doing this, I have written about matters beyond my expertise, which relates (at most) to the medieval period onwards. It is possible (for example) that the sources cited do not support statements apparently reliant on them. This part of the article urgently requires the attention of some one who does know the sources.

The following query was a comment in the discussion page of iron, and relates to the the early paragraphs of the 'Bloomery Iron in the Middle East' section. Peterkingiron 00:00, 18 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Query

Second paragraph, end of paragraph: I do not think it could be properly said that any particular place was where iron was "invented".

Fourth paragraph, also end of paragraph: Abram and Lot came from Ur of the Chaldeans, not to. Also, can it be said with any certainty that there were two different Urs, or which one was which? Darentig 16:13, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

You are correct about 'from'. However the interpretation of Ur of the Chaldeans is essentially an issue of Biblical interpreation and should not be relevant to this article. Peterkingiron 16:40, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Needham

Some one has added a series of reference to Europe from Needham. I am likely to remove or amend these shortly. Needham's work was primarily on China, not Europe, and it is now 40 years old. It thus does not take account of more recent discoveries. We know rather more of ancient metallurgy than we did in his time! Peterkingiron 16:42, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Meteoric Iron and Legendary Weapons

I was always curious why men would attribute supernatural properties to the weapons of certain heroes. A little studying here on Wikipedia has allowed me to come up with a satisfying hypothesis.

Mythic weapons such as Lugh's spear and Nuada's Claiomh Solais might have been made of meteoric iron. Various accounts claim that the Tuatha De Danaan had knowledge of occult magics that allowed them to create these mighty weapons -- access to meteoric iron and the know-how to forge it into weaponry would be a sufficiently advanced technology indistinguishable from magic to other cultures and the common man. In fact, wasn't Damascus steel thought to be magically derived, since it was unparalleled for strength and sharpness in its time?

And at least one such mythic weapon, Mjollnir, WAS said to have been "a fallen star."

Most of the magical abilities of these mythic weapons might have their explainations in the superior luster of iron to stone or bronze, the superior strength of meteoric iron to bronze, and the overall divine air that a weapon made from a fallen star would have. "A gift from the gods." The strength and skill of the champions who wielded these iron weapons would also add to the majesty associated with them. And from that start, human storytelling began weaving tall tales, as it tends to do. I need only point out the legends of Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyan for the kinds of over-the-top fiction mankind can come up with using a kernel of truth. --Sunder the Gold

[edit] Hittite trade in Meteoric Iron?

If this section is referring to the Old Assyrian trading network most famous from the finds at Kanesh, can we properly call these people Hittites? They were the ancestors to the Hittites, yes, but I'm not sure the name is justified in that use. Any ideas as to a better term?

[edit] Bloomery and blast furnace

Some one (unlogged-in) added the view that there was no difference in principle between a bloomery and a blast furance (except size), togeterh with unhelful comparisons with modern steelmaking. I believe that the contributir was trying to be helpful, but failed to be. I have accordingly reverted from these: the additions are too simplistic. If they should be added at all, the correct place is probably in the article bloomery. Peterkingiron 21:23, 1 September 2007 (UTC)