Paul Rondelez

Paul Rondelez (PhD Candidate)

Iron working in Late Medieval Ireland (1200 - 1600)

Supervisor: Dr. Colin Rynne
Post-Medieval and Later Historical Archaeology Research Group

From everyday implements and tools, to warfare and building, iron played a vital role in late medieval Ireland. But to date there has been no work undertaken to understand where this iron originated, which types of iron where available, how it was processed and by whom. This doctoral research aims to conduct the first study into the character and role of ironworking in this pivotal period in Ireland's history.

The earliest way of transforming iron ore into iron objects is known as the bloomery process. In this process iron ore is reduced into a solid bloom (smelting). Subsequently this bloom is purified (refining) and physically and chemically altered into objects (smithing). Each of these steps will leave remains which reflect the materials and techniques used. Over the past decennia, a vast body of knowledge has been built up using these remains to reconstruct techniques and technologies, and also economic and social patterns connected to the production and use of iron.

The core aim of this research is to build up a knowledge framework which can then be applied to previously excavated remains. The most up-to-date knowledge and methodologies on the archaeometallurgy of iron collected and developed in northwestern Europe up to date, will be compiled into a structured framework. This reference framework will then be used to interpret and re-interpret the published, and the available unpublished, written sources relative to the late medieval period in Ireland. Additionally, a sample of unpublished collections of archaeological residues from securely dated ironworking sites from the same period will be studied and incorporated into the research. The collections will be selected to represent a cross section of a variety of site types (urban, rural, military, ecclesiastical, etc.).

This corpus of dated, located and classified sites will next be analysed and interpreted in the light of a series of research questions. The main research questions concerning ironworking in late medieval Ireland are:

On a technological level
Which technologies/techniques, materials and installations were used?
Do we see a technological continuation from the previous era? 
Is waterpower applied to smelting and/or smithing?

On a social/economic level
If we do see technological change, is this imported or a local evolution? Which social groups are the agents of this change?
If we do see technological change, when does it occur? Can we see regional variation?
If we see technological continuity, how can this be explained?

On an international level
How does the Irish situation compare to the situation on the continent and Britain? Do we see the same gradual transition from bloomery to blast furnace, or do we see a longer survival of older technologies, more abruptly transplanted by the newer technologies as previously suspected? Did the smithing technology change due to new influences of was the native technology adopted by the newcomers? Do we see hybrid forms of technology arising?