iron archaeometallurgy in the triangle of the sirdjān, neiriz and shahr- e- bābak

during the course of our studies on archaeometallurgy in southeastern iran, we tried to survey the triangle of the sirdjān, neiriz and shahr- e- bābak. as a result, remains of old iron mining residues of smelting furnaces, and iron smelting slag heaps were observed and recorded. a few samples of iron ore and smelting slag have been analysed classically and instrumentally. according to the acquired results, it has been suggested that the blacksmiths of this region applied two methods to produce iron: first, producing sponge iron, and second, of molten cast iron. according to the classification and the dating, these metallurgical activities have been estimated as old as 500 years before the advent of islam and that continued till the beginning of islam.