Examination of Smelting and Smithing Slags Excavated from the Iron Production Site of the Nogye Village

The purpose of the present study is to examine the objects excavated from the archaeological site of the Nogye Village in terms of their relationships with the iron production facilities such as 1ho smithing hearth and 2ho smelting furnace. 32 samples including slags, iron ores, and wall were analyzed to identify the mineralogical and chemical characterization. In addition, in the case of the 1ho smithing hearth slag, differing points of the cross-section were analyzed to examine its formation in depth. The analysis results suggest that the slags from the each site adjacent to the 1ho smithing hearth and 2ho furnace are related to smithing and smelting process respectively. Furthermore, it is possible to draw some conclusions that the aspects of the increased contents of nonferrous elements such as CaO in the slags in comparison with those of the iron ores are due to various factors such as charcoal ash and analytical reasons rather than an addition of CaO as flux.