This smelt was undertaken at L'Anse aux Meadows NHSC, August 21, 2010. Primarily intended as a demonstration, it was undertaken using only Viking Age tools, and in Norse clothing. The construction of the smelter and the layout of the working space was the same as that indicated by the archaeology of L'Anse aux Meadows. The personnel were drawn from both the Dark Ages Re-creation Company and the Parks Canada interpretive staff.

The working team was :
Darrell Markewitz (DARC) - construction / smelt master
Mark Pilgrim (Parks) - lead hand
Ken Cook (DARC) - preparation, bellows
Jessica Butler (Parks) - ore & charcoal
Dave Cox & Richard Schwietzer (DARC), Jake Hill (Norstead) - bellows
Mehgan Arnott (Parks) - recorder

The experiment was conducted inside the replicated 'Furnace Hut' inside the Encampment area at LAM. The size of the smelter, its general construction, and the position of the major equipment was based on an analysis of the archaeological remains. Details of the logic behind this series are available as individual topic segments, or as presented in the 2010 paper 'Iron Smelting in Vinland - Conveting Archaeological Evidence to Practical Method' available as a PDF download.

LAM field drawning Brigitta Wallace

Key features of the experiment: Furnace Interior Diameter - 20 cm Furnace Total Height - 64 cm Furnace Wall Thickness - 9 to 7 cm Furnace Material - mix of 50/50% clay and course sand Tuyere Type - steel pipe Tuyere Position - 18 cm above base, start 4.5 cm proud Tuyere Angle - 19 degrees down Air System - Norse style (double chamber) smelter bellows Ore Type- 'Darc Dirt 2' bog ore analog Ore Amount - 20 kg Bloom Size - 2.8 kg Yield - 14 % Charcoal consumed - 35.5 kg Duration - 6 hours total

Experimental Layout

The image above is modified from the overhead image taken during the original excavations at LAM - (credited 'Schonback'?)	A mosaic image created from the segments seen in full colour and detail above. Very roughly the same scale (?) as the image to the left.