2018/06/25 by Jane Humphris, Michael Charlton, Jake Keen +2 · 2 citations
Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Metallurgy and Cultural Artifacts #Archaeology and Historical Studies #Archaeological Research and Protection
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/00934690.2018.1479085
openalex publication_date 2018/06/25 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/19
The Royal City of Meroe, ca. 200 km north of Khartoum in the modern-day Republic of the Sudan, was an ancient capital of the Kingdom of Kush. From the 3rd century b.c. to the 4th century a.d., Kushite rulers controlled significant territory from the banks of the Nile at Meroe, in part through their ability to ensure the production of significant quantities of iron. The extensive archaeological remains of Meroitic iron production have been investigated over decades, and recently a series of experimental iron smelts in a replica Meroitic furnace has shed new light on the archaeometallurgical evidence. The data generated during the smelting campaigns has provided an understanding of the type of iron ore used, the construction and operating parameters of the furnace, and the workshop space created by the ancient iron smelters during the later and post-Meroitic times.