In 1979, 1980, and 1984 Peter R. Schmidt, et al, documented a total of eight iron smelting operations by the Barongo, modern day ironworkers of northwest Tanzania.
"Though they had not worked iron on a regular basis since 1951, they readily and eagerly took up the challenge to return to their old ways" (1).
"Ironworking was well established along the western shores of Lake Victoria by 300-500 B.C." (2).
While the Barongo admittedly took some trial and error to reproduce the results of their ancestors, the result of these experiments was a high quality axe head. This is no mean feat, starting with only the basic materials of iron ore, charcoal, and clay.
Production of iron is a chemical process. Simply put, it is the process of reducing iron oxide to a usable form of iron, which traditionally has been classified as of three types: wrought iron, steel, and cast iron.
Steel is iron alloyed with carbon. The carbon makes it durable, just as you would wish for in a hoe or a sword.
The Barongo successfully produced steel in a single smelt, just as their ancestors did centuries before the Arabs or the Europeans.
The Barongo never lost sight of their ancestors. They offered them prayers, asked their permission to mine the ore, and followed the ancient customs. These customs recognized the reproductive act of iron production, as observed in human reproduction.
An Arabian or European mindset though would call this superstition.
(1) Peter R. Schmidt, "Reconfiguring the Barongo: Reproductive Symbolism and Reproduction among a Work Association of Iron Smelters", in Schmidt (ed.), The Culture &Technology of African Iron Production, Gainesville, University Press of Florida, 1996, pp. 83-84.
(2) S. Terry Childs, "Technological History and Culture in Western Tanzania", in Schmidt (ed.), The Culture & Technology of African Iron Production, Gainesville, University Press of Florida, 1996, p. 279.
Posted By: Steve Williams
Friday, August 8th 2014 at 5:56PM
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