9 - Charcoal Mound

Charcoal mounds were used for the simple production of charcoal. They consisted of a carefully stacked pile of wood, which was covered with a layer of old hay, soil, and turf, and then set on fire. When the entire pile was burning, the openings supplying air to the fire were sealed, causing the wood to carbonize. After cooling, the kiln was dismantled and the charcoal was used in forges and smelting furnaces.