How To Make Charcoal - The Ancient Way

February 20, 2016

Charcoal is useful because it burns hotter and cleaner than the wood it's made from. This is critical if you intend to smelt ore into iron.

To make charcoal, you have to burn the wood with as little oxygen as possible.

"To make the charcoal the wood was broken up and stacked in to a mound with the largest pieces in the center and smaller sticks and leaves on the out side. The mound was coated in mud and a hole was left in the top while 8 smaller air holes were made around the base of the mound. A fire was kindled in the top of the mound using hot coals from the fire and the burning process began."

Watch the fascinating video below: