Celtic Bloomery Furnace Offdilln

Already more than 2,000 years ago, the Celts produced iron in our region. They built so-called racing ovens. In the historic Hauberg in Offdilln a racing oven was built and operated. From the iron produced in former times simple tools, such as hoes and hatchets, but also weapons, forged. These were unfortunately not only used for hunting, but also for military conflicts. The equipment made of the iron but were valuable helpers to wrest the nature of the "daily bread". The race oven is made of clay and stones. First, a wicker basket, which has the shape of the furnace interior, braided. Too bad that he burns when heating up. Around the wicker basket, moistened clay, which is mixed with chopped grass or straw, is applied in four layers. In between comes a stone box made of field stones. A protective roof is erected above the stove and the oven then has to be air-dried first. Then it is heated gently and dried further.
heimatundgeschichtsvereinoffdilln.de/kelten/rennofenheimatundgeschichtsvereinoffdilln.de

At the kiln you get an idea of how much effort was wrested from normal life in past centuries, with what effort, but also with what inventiveness previous generations melted and processed iron.

Really well copied, thanks to the builder