First Archaeometrical Approach of the Examinations of Iron Age Ferrous Fragments from Regöly and Bükkábrány (Hungary) – The Inception of Iron Working in the Carpathian Basin?

interdisciplinary research field, an important stage of which being the results of the archaeometallurgicalarchaeomaterial examinations presented in this article. The excavation site of Regöly (Hungary)
represents a special source from the earliest Iron culture of the Carpathian Basin, and using the results
of metallographic analysis our aim is to place the examined objects in their proper context with regard
to the process of iron working. One fragment found in the tumulus of Regöly during the excavation
2011–2012 has been presumed part of an iron bloom; this may be the earliest example of iron working
in the Carpathian Basin (630–600 BC). From both an historical and technological point of view this
raises several questions. One aim of our study is to characterise the fragments in order to figure out
what kind of processing has been applied and ultimately see how the ‘iron bloom’ fragment can be
connected in any way to the other iron objects found at the site. Examinations were carried out by
optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) on both the iron objects and
the bloom fragment. Metallographic analysis revealed a very specific microstructure, indicating that
the bloom fragment is not a direct product that came directly from the bloomery furnace; it could be
a secondary or even tertiary product (prefabricated) instead. However, regarding the bloom fragment,
there is evidence of a forging method. During the tests, slag inclusions were also examined. The results
from Regöly were also compared with other finds from a Celtic workshop-type site (Bükkábrány,
320–200 BC). Although a direct connection between the examined iron objects and the iron bloom
fragment (as possible raw material) cannot be confirmed, the iron artefacts and fragments of Regöly
might easily have been made from some basic material as represented by the fragment of an iron bloom
or bar. Even though the find from Regöly does not definitively provide the earliest evidence for iron
smelting technology in the Carpathian Basin area, it does give evidence for some form of iron forging
from a semi-finished product.