Come and take part in this scientific experiment that tries to reproduce the working conditions and the complete process carried out in the mountain ironworks or haizeolak of Biscay during the Middle Ages and Antiquity. This is a lost technical knowledge, used to “melt” iron by hand for about 2000 years (until the arrival of hydraulic ironworks in the 13th century) and whose vestiges archaeologists have been able to document through various excavations in our territory. 

The research program on ancient iron also includes, through the reproduction of the archaeological plans provided by the excavation, the start-up of an experimental archaeology workshop like the one we present. Thus, we can put ourselves in the shoes of the ancient master ironworkers and test the times and other details of the technical process of “melting”, information that the excavations do not give us. 

This is a technical process that is currently being studied throughout Europe and that no specialist archaeologist has yet been able to reproduce in a completely manual process. However, we are very close to achieving this, hence the interest of this experimental activity for us researchers and for us Biscayans whose ancestors were recognized worldwide for the quality of their work with iron.

Time: 11:00 am
Meet in front of the Rialia Museum.
Language: Spanish, Basque