Tales of the Iron Bloomery
Subtitle: Ironmaking in Southeastern Norway - Foundation of Statehood C. AD 700-1300
Publisher: BRILL
Published: 2016
Language: eng
Number of pages: 484
ISBN-13: 9789004278790
Subjects: Norway, history
Description: "In Tales of the Iron Bloomery, Bernt Rundberget examines the ironmaking in southern Hedmark in Norway in the period AD 700-1300. Excavations show that this method is distinctive and geographically limited; this is expressed by the technology, organization, development and large-scale production. The ironmaking practice had its origins in increasing demands for iron, due to growth in urbanization, church power, kingship and mercantile networks. Rundberget's main hypothesis is that iron became the economic basis for political developments, from chiefdom to kingdom. Iron extraction activity grew from the late Viking Age, throughout the early medieval period, before suddenly collapsing around AD 1300. This trend correlates with the rise and fall of the kingdom"--Provided by publisher.