While on the topic of blacksmith floors, I thought I would remind
histarchers of the work by the late John Light, a material culture
researcher with Parks Canada.  He wrote a couple of texts on the analysis
of soils from blacksmith floors.

Light, John D., Louis Lafleche and John Stewart
1979
Identification of Work Areas in the Fort St. Joseph Smith.  Research
Bulletin (Parks Canada) No. 111.

Light, John D
1984
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Smith: A Frontier Fur Trade Blacksmith Shop
1796-1812.  National Historic Sites and Parks Branch, Parks Canada, Ottawa.

In the late 1990's John joined us in the test excavation of an 1826-32
blacksmith shop at Ottawa Locks, Rideau Canal National Historic Site.  We
collected soil samples following his instructions and this is the memo he
sent regarding the analysis::

"Here is what one can say about the analytical results from the soil
samples.  (Original publication of these results was in RB 111 - 1979, as
well as in "A Frontier Fur Trade Blacksmith Shop" ) John

      The process of smithing produces certain distinctive residues or
by-products. Two of these several microscopic residues, i.e., scale from
the hammering of hot metal, and "welding balls" from the welding of hot
metal, are always found in profusion on the working floor of a smithy. It
is even possible to map the interior of a smithy using these residues
(subject, of course, to all the usual caveats), for the remains are more
concentrated near the site of their production, i.e. the anvil.
      Accordingly, soil samples were taken during the excavation of the
smithy at Ottawa Locks, and these yielded excellent results. Although the
excavations were in the corners of the building away from the anvil, the
samples nevertheless yielded significant quantities of both scale and
welding balls. This means that it is possible definitively to identify the
working floor of the original shop. It also implies strongly that if the
working floor of the original shop is intact, any further excavation should
allow for the mapping of the entire interior by means of the soil sampling
technique. It appears probable that it will be possible in the future to
reconstruct the layout of the interior of the shop."

Unfortunately John passed away before we got the report on the Ottawa Locks
smithy finished, so needless to say, it is still waiting to be done.  For
information, both the Fort St. Joseph and Ottawa lock smithies were
charcoal fueled.

Caroline Phillips
Senior Archaeologist
Ontario Service Centre, Parks Canada.