Abstract

During the summer of 1994 a Memorial University field crew completed the excavation of a smithy in an area of Ferryland commonly referred to as 'The Pool.' The excavations revealed a forge of stone construction, measuring approximately 1.2 by 1.8 metres, as well as other structural evidence and an immense amount of iron and slag. The smithy was in a remarkable state of preservation, enabling archaeologists to retrieve a vast amount of information. This paper will discuss dating of the forge and the layout of the smithy. Various types of artifacts will be described to help determine what types of items were being manufactured and repaired by the Ferryland smiths.