IAMS - Institute for Archaeo-Metallurgical Studies

The Historical Metallurgy Society is celebration their 50th birthday and hosting a conference in Birmingham entitled "Furnaces, Foundries and Forges: Ironmaking Heritage Revisited". will focus on HMS' origins in the English iron industry and review developments in research, conservation, and interpretation in the field.

Always concerned with all aspects of metallurgy, the HMS has is roots founded in the more recent metallurgical past and with this conference aims to return to its philosophical birthplace. The conference will revolve around the origins in the English iron industry and review developments in research, conservation, and interpretation in the field. It will be held in a intimate residential setting reminiscent of early society meetings.

Lectures will largely focus on Medieval and later ironworking practice, origins and conservation of blast furnaces, new research into forges and puddling technology, hot blast and the cupola, and other related topics.

In addition, a number of site visits and tours are planed including:

• Archaeological excavations and standing remains of blast furnaces, forges and other sites in Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire.
• Churchill Forge: rarely-open operational 18th and 19th century water-powered forge
• excavation of early 19th-century hot blast furnace and refinery at Stirchley
• Black Country Living Museum: with guided tour of the Keith Gale archive
• Ironbridge Gorge Museum: with guided tour of HMS archives and the Slag Collections

Conference website: http://hist-met.org/agm2012.html