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 here.

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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January 10, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

104. Introduction to post-excavation techniques for metalworking sites

The excavation of archaeological sites often yields a range of material evidence for metalworking. This datasheet is intended to provide an introduction to the post-excavation study of such evidence. The…
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

105. Textures, microstructures and metallography

Metals and related materials provide a great deal of information on the ways in which they were manufactured and used. Some of this information can be gained from a simple…
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

106. Chemical analysis of metalwork and metalworking debris

The use of an instrument to determine the presence of particular elements in a material/sample. The range of elements which can be detected as well the accuracy, precision and sensitivity…
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

107. X-radiography and archaeometallurgy

X-radiography is an imaging technique that has numerous applications in archaeology and archaeometallurgy. The primary uses are to examine form, structure and condition of artefacts in order to provide identifications…
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

108. The care and curation of metallurgical samples

Even after investigation and publication, metallurgical samples offer a valuable resource for future researchers. Experience has shown that such material is too frequently lost. This datasheet provides guidance to ensure…
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

201. Metals and their properties

Metals are crystalline materials that are good conductors of both electricity and heat; they are usually malleable, ductile and shiny. They are commonly divided into ferrous and non-ferrous metals; the…
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

202. Copper: smelting and production of alloys

Copper (Cu) is a soft, reddish metal which has been used for the production of a wide range of artefacts. Since the end of the Bronze Age it has been…
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

203. Tin: smelting and production of alloys

Tin (Sn) is a soft, silvery-white metal which has been used for the production of a wide range of artefacts. Tin has occasionally been used on its own but most…
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

204. Other metals: smelting and production of alloys

This datasheet provides a brief introduction to the manufacture of several non-ferrous metals (zinc, mercury, antimony and arsenic) that have not been covered elsewhere in this series. The metals covered…
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

301. Iron: bloomery smelting and associated processes

The manufacture iron from its ores can be carried out using a variety of smelting technologies. These can be broadly divided into the direct and indirect processes. The indirect process…
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

302. Steelmaking

Although an important aspect of medieval and earlier societies, the manufacture of steel was industrialised during the post-medieval period. Many complementary techniques were developed which often operated at the same…
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

303. Iron: hand blacksmithing

This datasheet summarises blacksmithing proceses, buildings and residues.
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

304. Foundries

This datasheet summarises the history of foundries, their buildings and residues.
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

305. The supply of fuel for post-medieval metal industries

Fuels for metallurgical and other industrial uses were derived from wood or from coal. The wood-based fuels comprised charcoal, white coal (kiln-dried wood) and fire-wood. Mineral coal was used either…
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February 4, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS01. Crucibles and moulds

Crucibles and moulds are fairly easy to recognise and their identification should alert the fieldworker to the presence of metalworking on site. This provides an early opportunity to link the…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS02. Precious metal refining

The purity of gold could be estimated by using a touchstone but the only effective way of determining the purity of silver was by assaying (see below). Whatever their purity,…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS03. Iron working processes

Unlike all the other metals used in the past, iron was produced and worked only in the solid state. This technology is called the 'Direct Process' of iron manufacture, ie…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS04. Geophysical techniques applied to early metalworking sites

There is no geophysical method dedicated to the location, identification and analysis of early metalworking sites. There has only been limited application of these techniques to the study of such…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS05. Bloomery iron smelting slags and other residues

There are many variables in the smelting process, including the ores, the fuel and the clays used, the furnace construction, the method of blowing the furnace and the way in…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS06. Bloom refining and smithing slags and other residues

The smelting of iron by the direct process results in a bloom, which must be refined to produce forgeable iron stock. Blooms produced from bog ores in a non-tapping furnace…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS08. Currency Bars and other forms of trade iron

About 1500 currency bars and other forms of trade iron have been found in Britain, including two doublepointed ingots of continental type. Detailed examination of most of the 400 surviving…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS09. Excavation and Sampling Strategies for Metalworking Sites

Identifying the nature and extent of metalworking processes on an archaeological site relies on adequate recovery and recording of the evidence of these activities. This sheet provides advice on how…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS10. Hammerscale

Both types of hammerscale generally survive well in archaeological deposits and often retain their original metallic-lustrous sheen. They are generally too small to be recognised by the excavator, but can…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS11. Metallographic examination

Metallography requires the removal of small samples, which are then mounted in a resin or bakelite block, polished and etched in dilute acid, before examination under a metallurgical microscope. This…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS12. Chemical analysis of metalwork and metalworking debris

The composition of artefacts or samples can be determined by chemical analysis. The method of analysis chosen depends mainly on the answers needed. Some types of chemical analysis are quantitative,…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS14. X-radiography and archaeometallurgy

X-radiography is a rapid imaging technique which is particularly useful for examining archaeological metalwork. The process is similar to conventional medical radiography and the two-dimensional negative image is usually produced…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS15. The Care and Curation of Metallurgical Samples

Even after investigation and publication, metallurgical samples offer a valuable resource for future researchers. Experience has shown that such material is too frequently lost. This data sheet provides guidance to…
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February 5, 2020 in HMS Datasheets

OS16. Metalworking Evidence and the Management of Archaeological Sites

This datasheet is aimed at field workers in the early stages of projects, when the possibility of finding the remains of metalworking activity should be considered. The value of forward…
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