ABSTRACT
This
research was undertaken with the purpose of studying evidence of
ancient iron Smelting technology in Mahurum area. In the research,
cultural ecology which emphasises on the role of ecology in influencing
the culture of a society was adopted as the theoretical framework.
Methods adopted for the research were oral tradition, archaeological
survey, consultation of written materials and classification and
analysis. In the research, oral tradition reveals information on the
material and non-material evidence of iron working in the Mahurum area
and the processes that were involved. Also information on the settlement
history of the Ahurum was collected. Consultation of written materials
provided a background on the historiography of iron smelting in Nigeria
which impacted on the work. Archaeological survey on the other hand,
reveals vestiges of iron smelting among others which were duly studied
and mapped and classification and analysis was carried out on the basic
components of the finds and features studied. The finding of the
research includes furnace remains, slag from smelting and refining of
bloom, rock hollows, house and granary foundations, monolith, stone
embankment, grinding stones and other finds and features. The result of
the research shows the uniqueness of iron smelting tradition of Mahurum
because iron was smelted in non-slag tapping shaft furnaces and as a
result, the bloom obtained was refined which resulted in creation of
rock hollows. The research also shows how the knowledge from oral
tradition has helped in bringing to fore tangible and intangible
evidence of ancient iron smelting tradition of Mahurum. In addition, the
research reveals how the Ahurum interacted with their natural
environment by smelting iron which was the main stay of their economy.