Featured in the EXARC Journal
Ancient Technology
The Making of Roman Metal Ink Pen Nibs
Roman Bronze Ink Pen Nibs
Introduction
The main objective of this research was to establish the amount of time taken and the material lost to manufacture Roman pen nibs made for copper alloy and additionally iron. The original copper alloy ink pen nib being reconstructed for this set of experiments was published by Rees (1979, p.179c).
The original iron ink pen nib was published by Birley (1994).
Production parameters
“Look at the Bones!” - Adding Bone in a Bloomery Iron Smelt
Introduction
“Vikings unwittingly made their swords stronger by trying to imbue them with spirits.
Iron Age Scandinavians only had access to poor quality iron, which put them at a tactical disadvantage against their neighbors.
To strengthen their swords, smiths used the bones of their dead ancestors and animals, hoping to transfer the spirit into their blades.
They couldn't have known that in so doing, they were forging a rudimentary form of steel.“
Matt Davis (2019)