The Roman Wall: A historical, topographical, and descriptive account of the barrier of the lower isthmus, extending from the Tyne to the Solway, deduced from numerous personal surveysBruce, J. Collingwood (John Collingwood)
History
The Roman Wall: A historical, topographical, and descriptive account of the barrier of the lower isthmus, extending from the Tyne to the Solway, deduced from numerous personal surveys
Bruce, J. Collingwood (John Collingwood)
Great Britain -- Antiquities, Roman; Walls, Roman -- Great Britain
Iron has been produced in large quantities. In the neighbourhood of
HABITANCUM masses of iron slag have been found. It is heavier than what
proceeds from modern furnaces, in consequence, probably, of the
imperfect reduction of the ore. In the neighbourhood of Lanchester, the
process seems to have been carried on very extensively. On the division
of the common, two large heaps were removed, the one containing about
four hundred cart loads of dross, the other six hundred. It was used in
the construction of some new roads which were then formed, a purpose for
which it was admirably adapted. In the neighbourhood of one of these
heaps of scoriæ, the iron tongs represented in Plate XVII. fig. 8, so
much resembling those at present used by blacksmiths, were ploughed up.
During the operation of bringing this common into cultivation, the
method adopted by the Romans of producing [Sidenote: BLAST FURNACE.] the
blast necessary to smelt the metal was made apparent. Two tunnels had
been formed in the side of a hill; they were wide at one extremity, but
tapered off to a narrow bore at the other, where they met in a point.
The mouths of the channels opened towards the west, from which quarter a
prevalent wind blows in this valley, and sometimes with great violence.
The blast received by them would, when the wind was high, be poured with
considerable force and effect upon the smelting furnaces at the
extremity of the tunnels.
METALLIC IMPLEMENTS.
Notwithstanding the tendency of iron to oxidize, several weapons made of
this material, and used by the Romans, have come down to our day. Their
general character and form can be better learnt from an inspection of
the drawings which depict them than by verbal description. On Plate X.
are shewn two spear or javelin heads, and on Plate XVII. the iron points
of some arrows.
Vessels of cast-metal, fitted for domestic use, are occasionally met
with. On Plate XVII. fig. 2, is a specimen of a pot or boiler, closely
resembling those in modern use; it was found in cutting the Newcastle
and Carlisle Railway, near Haydon Bridge.
[Sidenote: METALLIC IMPLEMENTS.]
Bronze vessels are occasionally found. The utensils depicted on Plate
XVI. are of this metal. Fig. 1, is a pan, evidently intended for
culinary purposes. The use of the other vessel, fig. 2, so nearly
resembling a modern coffee-pot, is not so apparent, though several of
this form have been found in the Roman stations in the north of England.
Is it a decanter—a sort of wine flagon? Both of these vessels were found
on the line of the Wall, but at what point I have been unable to learn.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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