Metodologia interdisciplinària aplicada a la recerca paleosiderúrgica andorrana

Solans, J. ; Rovira, C. ; Vila, A.; Turu, V. i Llavera, X. (1995) Metodologia interdisciplinaria aplicada a la recerca paleosiderúrgica andorrana; LA FARGA CATALANA EN EL MARC DE L'ARQUEOLOGIA SIDERÚRGICA (Tomas i Morera, E., Ed.), Ministeri d'Afers Socials i Cultura del Govern d'Andorra, Andorra la Vella, 87-98

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'1etodologia interdisciplinaria aplicada a la recerca paleosiderúrgica andorrana Joaquim So lans, Dept. Cristal.lografia i Mineralogia. Fac. de Geologia. Universitat de Barcelo na. Barcelo na Carme Revira, Antoni Vila, Vale nti Turu i Xavier Llovera, Patrimoni Artístic Nacio nal d'Ando rra. Andorra.

La farga catalana en el filare de l'arqueologia siderúrgica.

_-\.bstract

La recerca geológica

.-\n in-dep th study qfancient iron melaUurgy in Andorra requires

El protagonisme que ha tingut el ferro en la zona d'Andorra en el passat, grácies a la concen tració de recursos que presen ta l'en torn geográfic, és indiscmible i h a deixat traces en n ombrosos topónims actuals: bordes deis Ferrerols (la Massana, vora d el riu Monta ner) . solá de la Farga [Escaldes-Engorda ny. a la riba del Madriu), collada de Ferreroles. sola na de Ferreroles, a ba rsetar de Ferreroles i fon t d e Fer ro (a Ordino) : Els meners. colla d a d eis Meners i l"estany d eis Meners de Ja Coma (en el lim it en tre Ordin o i Canillo) i la farga Rossell (en tre La Massana i Ordino).

the us e qf a method ology that combines infonn.ation provided by history. a rchaeology. laboratory analysis. experimentation and geology. and makes it. possible lo reach technical. social and economic conclusions about the induslryjrom üs beginnings ro modern times. The .firsl recorded refe re nces are joun.d in r:exts w ritten between. lhe ninth and thirleenth centuries

concerning taxes on iron production and p rocessing. There are also indications ofsurnames and p lace-names associated with iron-making. most of which a re still in use. anda number oj u-rought. iron item.s of artistic imerest. .-\rchaeological d igs at e.he Roe d 'Enclar site have provided tnformation about production a nd processing bec.ween the Late Roman and Early Mediaeval periods, and e>..p eríments have contributed to our unde rstanding aj the technical processes used. Prospections haue als o uncovered iron d eposits and modern day operations. On the basis of these data. two technolog ica l phases can be identifi.ed. Thefirs t covers the Late Roman and Early Med iaeval periods: the method of obtaining metal was very s imple. The second (seventeenth to nineteenth centuries) is dominated by the farga catalana process. us ing specific procedure s and equipment in e.he produciion of large wnounls of high quality w rought iron.

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