Letter
Published:04 January 1996

An ancient wind-powered iron smelting technology in Sri Lanka

Gill Juleff^1,2

Naturevolume 379, pages60–63 (1996)Cite this article

1291Accesses
8Altmetric
Metricsdetails

Abstract

BEFORE the development of the blast furnace, iron smelting was achieved by ore reduction at temperatures below the melting point of the metal, forming an agglomerated 'bloom' of low-carbon iron and slag. The forced-draught (bellows-operated) shaft furnace known from archaeological studies is usually regarded as the pinnacle of this early smelting technology^1–3. Examples of natural-draught furnaces, in which gas buoyancy in a shaft of sufficient height induces a draught adequate to drive the smelting process⁴, are also known, but are generally regarded as disappointingly inefficient by comparison⁵. Here I report the discovery and excavation at Samanalawewa, Sri Lanka, of a previously unknown furnace type. The furnaces are all situated on the western margins of hills and ridges, where they are exposed to the strong monsoon winds. Field trials using replica furnaces confirm that this furnace type uses a wind-based air-supply principle that is distinct from either forced or natural draught, and show also that it is capable of producing high-carbon steel. This technology sustained a major industry in this area during the first millennium AD, and may have contributed to South Asia's early pre-eminence in steel production.

Access through your institution

Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content,access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Subscription info for Japanese customers

We have a dedicated website for our Japanese customers. Please go tonatureasia.com to subscribe to this journal.

Go to natureasia.com

Buy this article

Purchase on SpringerLink
Instant access to full article PDF

Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Dedicated core-on-anvil production of bladelet-like flakes in the Acheulean at Thomas Quarry I - L1 (Casablanca, Morocco)

ArticleOpen access08 June 2020

Reconstructing the hydraulics of the world’s first industrial complex, the second century CE Barbegal watermills, France

ArticleOpen access21 October 2020

Ironmaking and steelmaking process research on Chinese long ring pommel Dao in Han dynasty

ArticleOpen access10 March 2025

References

Tylecote, R. F.A Histoiy of Metallurgy 2nd edn (The Institute of Materials, London, 1992).
Google Scholar
Rostoker, W. & Bronson, B.Pre-industrial iron (Archeomaterials Monogr. 1, Philadelphia, 1990).
Google Scholar
Bamberger, M. inFurnaces and Smelting Technology in Antiquity (eds Craddock, P. T. & Hughes, M. J.) 151–158 (British Museum, London, 1985).
Google Scholar
Rehder, J. E.Archeomaterials2, 47–58 (1987).
Google Scholar
Killick, D. inRecent Trends in Archaeometallurgical Research (ed. Glumac, P.) 47–54 (Science and Archaeology Vol. 8, Univ. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1991).
Google Scholar
Hadfield, R.J. Iron Steel Inst.85, 134–186 (1912).
Google Scholar
Schoff, W. H.J. Am. oriental Soc.35, 224–239 (1915).
Article Google Scholar
Bronson, B.Archeomaterials1, 13–51 (1986).
CAS Google Scholar
Chakrabarti, D. K.The Early Use of Iron in India (Oxford Univ. Press, Delhi 1992).
Google Scholar
Craddock, P. T.Early Metal Mining and Production (Edinburgh Univ. Press, 1995).
Google Scholar
Faraday, M.Q. J. Sci. Lit. Arts7, 319–330 (1819).
Google Scholar
Zschokke, B.Rev. Métall.21, 635–669 (1924).
Article CAS Google Scholar
Maryon, H.Stud. Conserv.5, 25–37, 52–59 (1960).
Google Scholar
Allan, J. W.Persian Metal Technology 700–1300 AD (Ithaca, London, 1979).
Google Scholar
Wadsworth, J. & Sherby, O. D.Prog. Mater. Sci.25, 35–68 (1980).
Article CAS Google Scholar
Domrös, M.The Agroclimate of Ceylon (Franz Steiner, Wiesbaden, 1974).
Google Scholar
Cooray, P. G.An Introduction to the Geology of Sri Lanka (National Museums of Sri Lanka, Colombo, 1984).
Google Scholar
Herath, J. W.Mineral Resources of Sri Lanka (Geological Survey Dept, Colombo, 1980).
Google Scholar
Juleff, G.Ancient Ceylon9, 75–107 (1990).
Google Scholar
Malim, T. J. P., Juleff, G. & Shotliff, A. inSouth Asian Archaeology 1995 (edsAllchin, F.R. & B.), (Oxford & IBH, New Delhi, in the press).
De Silva, K. M.A History of Sri Lanka (Hurst, California, 1981).
Google Scholar
Forenius, S. & Solangarachchi, R. inFurther Studies in the Settlement Archaeology of the Sigirya-Dambulla Region (eds Bandaranayake, S. & Mogren, M.) 135–144 (Postgraduate Inst. Archaeology, Colombo, 1995).
Google Scholar
Percy, J.Metallurgy, Vol.2, 271–273 (Murray, London, 1864).
Google Scholar
Rostoker, W., Bronson, B. & Dvorak, J. R.Archeomaterials3, 11–25 (1989).
CAS Google Scholar
Avery, D. H., van der Merwe, N. J. & Saitowitz, S. inThe Beginnings of the Use of Metals and Alloys (ed. Maddin, R.) 261–282 (MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1988).
Google Scholar
von Hammer Purgstall, J.J. Asiatique5, 66–80 (1854).
Google Scholar
Cresswell, R. G.J. hist. Metall. Soc.25, 76–85 (1991).
Google Scholar
Kusimba, C. M., Killick, D. & Cresswell, R. G. inSociety, Culture and Technology in Africa (ed. Childs, S. T.) (Science and Archaeology Vol. 11, Univ. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in the press).
Somasekaram, T. (ed.)National Atlas for Sri Lanka (Survey Dept, Colombo, 1988).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Samanalawewa Archaeological Project, Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka, Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo, 7, Sri Lanka
Gill Juleff
University College London, Institute of Archaeology, 31–34 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PY, UK
Gill Juleff

Authors

Gill Juleff
View author publications
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Juleff, G. An ancient wind-powered iron smelting technology in Sri Lanka.Nature379, 60–63 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/379060a0

Download citation

Received:18 August 1995
Accepted:05 December 1995
Issue Date:04 January 1996
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/379060a0

Movatterモバイル変換