128 
ANTHROPOLOGY: W. HOUGH 
Furnaces also have an instructive development. There may be 
cited the rudimentary heap-furnace with base draught and rude bellows; 
the pit furnace for melting bronze with fan draught; the prehistoric 
earth wall furnace for reduction of copper and iron ores probably 
with bellows draught; and the tall furnace built of masonry and called 
Catalan furnace with means for forced draught. 
The furnace of the Iron Age has been well described by archaeologists 
for northern France, Switzerland, Austria and other locaHties in Europe. 
On account of convenience they were located on the vein of ore and in 
forests which would furnish charcoal. The furnace consisted of a 
pocket excavated in the side of a clay bank lined with clay and, when 
charged, covered with clay leaving a flue above and draught hole below. 
The ore and charcoal were packed in layers and the draught was prob- 
ably supplied with rude bellows.^ 
There is a considerable history, which may only be indicated, in re- 
gard to the tools required in metallurgy, as those for handling — pincers, 
tongs, shovels; for shaping — hammer, file, rubbers, polishers; for cast- 
ing — crucibles with supports, handlers and poker-stirrers, moulds of 
stone, metal, clay and artificial mixtures; for finishing — file, abraders, 
polishers, punch, drill, chisel, rivets, etc. 
At some period in the Iron Age it was discovered that iron could be 
cemented or case hardened by reheating with organic materials away 
from air, the process forming a layer of steel over the softer iron or, if 
continued, converting the whole mass to steel. In some localities, pos- 
sibly India, at remote times metallurgical processes had given rise to 
steel. This new alloy could be tempered, a quality foreign to any other 
metal known to man. Up to comparatively recent times however steel 
had a limited use, but at present among civilized nations steel is more : 
common than iron. 
An interesting survey is presented of the state of metallurgic art in 
the various world areas. It shows that the Pacific Islands, most of the 
Americas, Australia, and much of Asia are in the premetalHc stage; 
Malaysia is in the beginning of the metallic age by acculturation, the 
first demand being weapons; native Africa is advanced in iron metal- 
lurgy, using two metals; civilized (Mediterranean) Africa advanced in 
the use of metals; Europe (Mediterranean) shows early development 
and use of five metals. There are four great ancient foci of metallurgic 
art; Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Western Asia, and Eastern 
Asia. The latter is of doubtful origin and affiliation, but the other foci 
were connected. American foci are Central America, Mexico, Peru, 
and Wisconsin. 
