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Scotland's Earliest Bloomery Furnace?
Tarras Farm, Forres
The metallurgical characterisation of the Tarras Farm, by Forres, bloomery iron, furnace and industrial waste.
Aim:
The aim of this report is to establish a better understanding of the nature, method of production and function of the ?earliest known, in Scotland, bloomery iron furnace and associated industrial waste, excavated at Tarras Farm, by Forres.
Objectives:
To carry out a visual, optical (with the metallographic microscope and the SEM-EDAX) and chemical examination of a collection of samples on metallurgical waste, be it slag or metallurgical ceramics.
To compare results of these analyses with others derived from similar materials form a number of bloomery sites in the western Highlands.
Conclusions:
The C-14 dating of the furnace to the 1st century BC makes the Tarras farm furnace the earliest known bloomery furnace in Scotland. In terms of design it classifies as a hearth similar to the Catalan type in contrast to the low shaft medieval bloomeries seen in the Cowal Peninsula, Argyllshire. However, the Tarras farm furnace may be considered a precursor of similar bloomery hearth furnaces seen in Allt na Caerdaich, also in Argyllshire.
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Plan
of main excavation (Will 1988), with key of industrial waste distribution.
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Detail
of furnace and sections of furnace and pit [049] (Will 1988).
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Scottish
bloomery furnace plans and sections.
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Photographs of Forres bloomery furnace at various stages of excavation (Will 1988).
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