Bloomery furnace

A Bloomery Furnace is a pre-industrial furnace capable of transforming iron ore extracted from nature into metal suitable for forging weapons, tools and other objects, without the use of hydraulic power. These reduction furnaces were arranged in the open air, with human power directly involved in the various production processes. They are usually constructed from clay, brick, or stone, and produce "blooms" of sponge iron.

Early bloomeries were small in size and usually half dug into the ground. They reached approximately one meter in height and their interior diameter was between 40 and 70 cm approximately. They were built with sandstone and clay and could optionally have a hole for waste to exit.

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