Technology of a Blacksmith's Work as in Mediaeval Town, Stronghold and Village of Bohemia

Ing. J. Hošek, PhD. (404/02/P033) 2002-2003.

The aim of the study is partly an extension of our knowledge regarding a level of blacksmith's craft in an environment of medieval town, stronghold and village, partly to give precision to our idea about a range of medieval iron artifacts trade, because both those factors influenced an iron equipment level in noted environments. The study, which includes also metallographic examinations of selected artifacts of Semonice collection, would be based on a general evaluation of a metallographic research state of medieval iron artifacts in the Czech Republic. An attention would be given to an appreciation of quality and manner of fabrication of iron artifacts, it means features that is possible to evaluate only by methods of metallography. The project includes also chemical analyses of bloomery inclusions of the investigated artifacts and discussion concerning a possibility of utilization of obtained data for future trace up of provenance of the artifacts in range of Middle European regions.