Abstract
In 1991, the Directorate of Kırklareli Museum in Turkish Thrace identified and registered as an “archaeological conservation area” the remains of an Ottoman iron foundry measuring around 10,000 sqm and situated approximately 4 kilometers east of the town of Demirköy in the middle of a heavily forested region of the Istranca massifs. Referred as Samakocuk in the Ottoman archival documents, the town lies about 25 km east of the Turkish - Bulgarian border and about 20 km south of the Black Sea shore. In May 2002, a project has been initiated to conduct research on the iron mining and iron works in the area. Starting from summer 2003, surface surveys, excavations and archival investigations have been carried out. During the summer season of 2005, in addition to the continuing the excavation at the upper terrace of the Ottoman foundry which is believed to go back to the time of Sultan Mehmed II, the Conquerer (Fatih, r.1451-81), the industrial archaeology team and the geodesic survey team carried out a sounding excavation at the location of two furnaces, the chimney mouths of which were located during the surface surveys of 2003. These furnaces were located about 250 meters west of the original foundry site known as Kabakçı’s field, and the purpose of the expedition was to investigate the type of furnace technology prior to start working on the lower terrace of the Ottoman Foundry. The three weeks of excavation revealed a second smaller foundry site. As the work progressed, a rectangular workshop measuring 20 meters by 50 meters and divided into two sections with a central entrance hall was unearthed. It also became clear that the same system of dikes and water canals serviced both foundries for the operation of the water wheels supplying energy for the bellows and the trip hammers for wrought iron production. One of the furnaces excavated within the eastern workshop of this new foundry turned out to be a shaft (or bloom) furnace for iron production illustrating an advanced 17th century technology. In the middle of the west wing of this new foundry was identified a copper smelting furnace. Archival documents related to the Ottoman financial records dated to the 19th century indicate that copper was the second major metal produced at DemirköySamakocuk foundries besides iron, and that the raw copper was used for making copper alloy molds for casting cannon balls for the Ottoman artillery forces.
References
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Abstract
In 1991, the Directorate of Kırklareli Museum in Turkish Thrace
identified and registered as an “archaeological conservation area” the remains of
an Ottoman iron foundry measuring around 10,000 sqm and situated
approximately 4 kilometers east of the town of Demirköy in the middle of a
heavily forested region of the Istranca massifs. Referred as Samakocuk in the
Ottoman archival documents, the town lies about 25 km east of the Turkish -
Bulgarian border and about 20 km south of the Black Sea shore. In May 2002, a
project has been initiated to conduct research on the iron mining and iron works
in the area. Starting from summer 2003, surface surveys, excavations and
archival investigations have been carried out. During the summer season of
2005, in addition to the continuing the excavation at the upper terrace of the
Ottoman foundry which is believed to go back to the time of Sultan Mehmed II,
the Conquerer (Fatih, r.1451-81), the industrial archaeology team and the
geodesic survey team carried out a sounding excavation at the location of two
furnaces, the chimney mouths of which were located during the surface surveys
of 2003. These furnaces were located about 250 meters west of the original
foundry site known as Kabakçı’s field, and the purpose of the expedition was to
investigate the type of furnace technology prior to start working on the lower
terrace of the Ottoman Foundry. The three weeks of excavation revealed a
second smaller foundry site. As the work progressed, a rectangular workshop
measuring 20 meters by 50 meters and divided into two sections with a central
entrance hall was unearthed. It also became clear that the same system of dikes
and water canals serviced both foundries for the operation of the water wheels
supplying energy for the bellows and the trip hammers for wrought iron
production. One of the furnaces excavated within the eastern workshop of this
new foundry turned out to be a shaft (or bloom) furnace for iron production
illustrating an advanced 17th century technology. In the middle of the west wing
of this new foundry was identified a copper smelting furnace. Archival
documents related to the Ottoman financial records dated to the 19th century
indicate that copper was the second major metal produced at DemirköySamakocuk foundries besides iron, and that the raw copper was used for making
copper alloy molds for casting cannon balls for the Ottoman artillery forces.
References
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Details
| Primary Language | Turkish |
|---|---|
| Journal Section | Research Articles |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | June 1, 2008 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2008 Atilla Bir Armağanı Cilt: 9 Sayı: 1-2 |
