Mastery and Uses of Fire in Antiquity

Book excerpt: This unusual study, written by an engineer with expertise in industrial research and pyrotechnology, combines archaeological investigation with technical instruction to examine the scientific and chemical processes which resulted in the ancient furnace. The scope of the book is comprehensive and includes the successes and failures of over 10,000 years of history. Subjects include the use of fuels according to the products made, temperature control, deforestation and the smelting and use of copper and iron. This useful reference work contains varying amounts of technical language, with most jargon confined to the more detailed appendices, in order to make the subject matter more available to a wider readership.