Lesson plan

Hammerscale

Hammerscale, also written hammer scale, is a flaky or spheroidal byproduct of the iron forging process (for modern equivalent, see mill scale). Hammerscale is almost universally recovered from archaeological excavations in areas where iron ore was refined and forged. Hammerscale’s magnetic character also aids in its recovery and in mapping larger features by means of magnetic susceptibility surveys. Hammerscale can provide vital information about an archeological site such as the function of the feature.

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Article summary

Hammerscale, also written hammer scale, is a flaky or spheroidal byproduct of the iron forging process (for modern equivalent, see mill scale). Hammerscale is almost universally recovered from archaeological excavations in areas where iron ore was refined and forged. Hammerscale’s magnetic character also aids in its recovery and in mapping larger features by means of magnetic susceptibility surveys. Hammerscale can provide vital information about an archeological site such as the function of the feature.

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Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  3. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.