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the
Dark Ages Re-creation Company
Central
Ontario
www.darkcompany.ca
Archive copy - some images and links may not load
" The Dark
Ages Re-creation Company is composed of
people interested in using living history to
research aspects of life in Northern Europe during
the Viking Age. This is accomplished through
workshops and experimental archaeology where the
focus is on developing traditional skills as we
create accurate replicas of period artefacts and
processes. ... The Company further strives to
provide a resource of skilled and experienced
historic interpreters and physical demonstrators
to museums, schools, and educational programs."
"DARC's Experimental
Iron smelting is based on archaeological
evidence, and are targeted to recreate the
techniques the Viking Era Norse used to smelt
iron. ... Our goal is to get a method that first
reliably produces iron, and second uses equipment
that would have been available historically, and
third that matches the archaeological record that
we have with regards to blooms produced, smelter
and surrounding area layout, and materials." The
link between iron smelting and the Viking Age lies
in the fact that the first documented iron
production in North America was by the Norse at
L'Anse aux Meadows Newfoundland (Vinland) circa
1000 AD. Team members from DARC have demonstrated
both historic and practical modern methods for
smelting iron before the blacksmithing community :
at CanIRON
5 (2005, Annapolis Royal Nova Scotia) and at
Quad State (2008, Troy Ohio) |
|
(above June 2005 - An early
demonstration with all Viking Age equipments. Image
by Neil Peterson )
May 2005 - Taping slag
from a firebrick furnace. Image by Neil Peterson
At Quad State - View of a
simple clay smelting furnace in operation. Image by
Darrell Markewitz
November 2009 - starting
to hammer work the hot bloom. Image by Darrell
Markewitz
DARC maintains considerable information on its ongoing
research work on the web, including its experimental
iron smelting. Further information on DARC's work is
also to be found on the web
site of Darrell Markewitz, which includes YouTube
clips as well. |