I am doing research on the colonial iron industry of Virginia. During this
period charcoal was produced by the controlled burning of a pile of wood. The
wood was covered with a layer of leaves, dirt, charcoal dust, or some other
material to preclude complete oxidation. The pile was refereed to by a number
of terms including: pit, hearth, charcoal pit, meiler, and more recently
collier's pit. I have found historical references to all but the last term. It
is also not a term used by USGS. Does anyone know where it originated?
Thanks
JH Brothers IV