MORLOT — SOME GENERAL VIEWS ON ARCHiSOLOGT. 



53 



ratns was in this manner dispensed with — an important fact when we 

 come to consider how much its nse comphcates the metallurgical 

 operations, because it implies the apphcation of mechanics. Thns, 

 certain tribes in Southern Africa, although manufacturing iron and 

 working it tolerably well, have not achieved the construction of our 

 common kitchen-bellows, apparently so simple : they blow laboriously* 

 through a tube, or by means of a bladder affixed to it. 



The Romans produced iron by the so-called Catalonian process, and 

 the remains of Roman works of that description have been discovered 

 and investigated in Upper Carniola, Austria.* The Catalonian 

 forge is still used in the Pyrenees, where it yields tolerable results ; 

 but it consumes a large quantity of charcoal, requires much wind, 

 and is only to be applied to pure ore containing but a very small pro- 

 portion of earthy matter, producing scori83. The process, in fact, con- 

 sists in a mere reduction, with a soldering and welding together of 

 the reduced particles, without the metal properly melting. Accord- 

 ing to the manner in which the operation is conducted, bar-iron or 

 steel are obtained at will. This direct method dispenses with the inter- 

 mediate production of cast-iron, which was unknown to the ancients, 

 and which is now the means of producing iron on a great scale. 



Silver accompanied the introduction of iron into Europe — at least, 

 in the northern parts ; whilst gold was already known during the 

 bronze-age. This is natural, for gold is generally found as a pure 

 metal, while silver has usually to be extracted from different kinds of 

 ore, by more or less comphcated metallurgical operations — for 

 example, cupellation. 



With iron appeared also, for the first time in Europe, glass, coined 

 money — ^that powerful agent of commerce, — and finally the alphabet, 

 which, as the money of intelligence, vastly increases the activity and 

 circulation of thought,t and is sufficient of itself to characterize a 

 new and wonderful era of progress. Erom thence we can date the 

 dawn of history and of science, in particular of astronomy. 



* Jahrbucli der K. K, Geologischen Keiclisanstalt. Vienna, 1850, vol. ii., p. 

 199. Carintliia and Upper Camiolia formed part of the Roman province 

 Noricum, celebrated for its iron. 



t " The circulation of ideas is for the mind what the circulation of specie is 

 for commerce — a true source of wealth." C. Y. de Bonstetten. "L'homme du 

 midi et l'homme du Nord." Geneva, 1826, p, 175. 



