BOOK XL 531 



these furnaces occupies thirteen feet, the space which is on the right 

 side of the first furnace, and on the left of the fourth, are each three feet and 

 three palms wide, and the distance between the second and third furnace is 

 six feet. In the middle of each of these three spaces is a door, a foot and 

 a half wide and six feet high, and the middle one is common to the master 

 of each of the furnaces. Each furnace has its own chimney, which rises 

 between the two long walls mentioned above, and is supported by two arches 

 and a partition wall. The partition wall is between the two furnaces, and 

 is five feet long, ten feet high, and two feet thick ; in front of it is a pillar 

 belonging in common to the front arches of the furnace on either side, which 

 is two feet and as many palms thick, three feet and a half wide. The front 

 arch reaches from this common pillar to another pillar that is common to the 

 side arch of the same furnace ; this arch on the right spans from the second 

 long wall to the same pillar, which is two feet and as many palms wide and 

 thick at the bottom. The interior of the front arch is nine feet and a palm 

 wide, and eight feet high at its highest point ; the interior of the arch which 

 is on the right side, is five feet and a palm wide, and of equal height to the 

 other, and both the arches are built of the same height as the partition wall. 

 Imposed upon these arches and the partition wall are the walls of the chimney ; 

 these slope upward, and thus contract, so that at the upper part, where the 

 fumes are emitted, the opening is eight feet in length, one foot and three 

 palms in width. The fourth wall of the chimney is built vertically upon the 

 second long wall. As the partition wall is common to the two furnaces, so its 

 superstructure is common to the two chimneys. In this sensible manner 

 the chimney is built. At the front each furnace is six feet two palms long, 

 and three feet two palms wide, and a cubit high ; the back of each furnace 

 is against the second long wall, the front being open. The first furnace is open 

 and sloping at the right side, so that the slags may be drawn out ; the left 

 side is against the partition wall, and has a little wall built of bricks cemented 

 together with lute ; this little wall protects the partition wall from injury by 

 the fire. On the contrary, the second furnace has the left side open and 

 the right side is against the partition wall, where also it has its own little wall 

 which protects the partition wall from the fire. The front of each furnace is 

 built of rectangular rocks ; the interior of it is filled up with earth. Then in 

 each of the furnaces at the rear, against the second long wall, is an aperture 

 through an arch at the back, and in these are fixed the copper pipes. Each 

 furnace has a round pit, two feet and as many palms wide, built three feet 

 away from the partition wall. Finally, under the pit of the furnace, at a 

 depth of a cubit, is the hidden receptacle for moisture, similar to the others, 

 whose vent penetrates through the second long wall and slopes upward to 

 the right from the first furnace, and to the left from the second. If copper 

 is to be made the next day, then the master cuts out the crucible with a 

 spatula, the blade of which is three digits wide and as many palms long, the 

 iron handle being two feet long and one and a half digits in diameter ; the 

 wooden handle inserted into it is round, five feet long and two digits 

 in diameter. Then, with another cutting spatula, he makes the crucible 



