Resumo

COSTA, Horácio Maia e. Os Escoriais de Moncorvo. C.Tecn. Mat. [online]. 2009, vol.21, n.3-4, pp.58-67. ISSN 0870-8312.

This work was done in sequence of another one exclusively dedicated to the study of the Felgar slags. The aim of this new study is to relate the characteristics of slags known in the Moncorvo Region[Felgueiras, Felgar, Souto da Velha, S. Pedro (Mós) Chapa Cunha and Carviçais] which resulted from ancient smithies, with the same name. The dates of these smithies operations remain to be determined. Indeed, it wasn’t still possible to find the ruins of fixed installations, which necessarily have existed, nor evidence of equipment (furnaces, air blowers, hammers, anvils, etc.), that integrated them. Dedicated to the production of “malleable iron”, these smithies provide rods and plates that blacksmiths turned into industrial and agricultural tools, rail and other utensils. However, it is not known where the “Moncorvo iron” has been applied, although there are some monumental permanent works  in Portugal built entirely with "malleable iron” (Ponte de D. Maria, in Porto, Bridge over the Lima River, in Viana do Castelo, The Court of Appeal Prison rails, in Porto, etc.) which was certainly imported, probably from Galicia(Spain). The observation of the slag collected in the places above mentioned, shows that its structures are similar in all cases pointing to equipment and methods of manufacture equal or similar. The fact that “Moncorvo malleable iron” applications are not known and not have been found fragments of iron in the slags, don’t allow advances in these studies for the recognition of metallic structures and quality of materials produced. Therefore, the conclusion to be drawn, points to be very similar the equipment and methodologies used in the manufacture of all smithies. However, doubts remain regarding the Chapa Cunha Smithy,in which it was admitted the use of more advanced methods, in particular, the hydraulic systems for the continuous air insufflation in the oven and also the operation of mechanical equipment for hammering, required to remove the slag accompanying and forming inclusions in the iron "cake" produced. It wasn’t yet found in the vicinity of the building deemed to have belonged to Smithy and after that recovered to install a mill to grind the grain, any piece of slag. Nor were still found the ruins of the other dependencies fixed that necessarily integrated the Smithy, and there is no one platform of enough area where they will be built. Only there is a ditch that promotes the diversion of water from a nearby small river that could integrate the hydraulic system, above mentioned, and which later was recovered for a grain mill.

Palavras-chave : Moncorvo; iron ore deposits; smithy; slags.

        · resumo em Português | Francês     · texto em Português     · Português ( pdf )