More Information

The Historical Metallurgy Society aims to provide guidance and assistance to members and non-members alike. Below you will find further information about historical and archaeo-metallurgy. Most are resources we have written ourselves, however we also provide links to other resources available.

HMS Datasheets

The HMS Archaeometallurgy Datasheets are aimed at archaeologists at all levels from project managers and curators to fieldworkers. These datasheets are intended to provide brief introductions to particular processes or topics, with the emphasis on the types of structural evidence, artefacts and residues likely to be encountered on excavations, with a short bibliography of useful publications.

The datasheets are grouped into three areas:

  1. Recovering, recording, understanding and managing archaeometallurgical resources
  2. Processes involved in producing and working metals
  3. Archaeological and other evidence for the development of specific metalworking processes

The datasheets were originally devised and produced in the 1990s; since the mid-2000s the Archaeology Committee has been in the process of updating and enlarging the series. Nearly thirty new and improved datasheets are planned and they will be uploaded as and when they become available. You can download both the new and old datasheets below.

January 9, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

101. The archaeology of metalworking sites

Evidence for past metalworking survives in the archaeological record in a number of different ways. Many of the larger metalworking sites survive as distinct landscape features due to the construction…
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January 10, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

102. Metalworking evidence and archaeological project management

Project management techniques are widely used to plan and monitor the progress of archaeological projects. Project management makes the aims, objectives, methods, timetable, risks and outcomes explicit. It is common…
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January 10, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

103. Geophysical techniques for metalworking sites

Geophysical techniques have become a standard tool in archaeological fieldwork. This datasheet addresses both the recognition of metallurgical features within general surveys and the design of surveys to meet metallurgical…
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Glossary

The Historical Metallurgy Society offers a glossary of useful words related to the subject. More terms can be added to the glossary as necessary, so please email the HMS web team to enquire.

The History of Metallurgy Across the World

Here we have our map with places of interest. We will be adding information about sites, collections or research projects across the UK and further afield. If you would like to contribute please contact the HMS web team.

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