Gwyl y Fflam
Autumn Fires
Gwyl y Fflam is proud to welcome
DARC- The Dark Ages Recreation Company
Saturday Afternoon!
DARC members will be undertaking a historical demonstration of daily life, and life of the Viking Age artisan. We will illustrating a history based illustration of Norse material culture, loosely framed at 1000 AD, shaped by the seasonal markets like Ribe in Denmark. Here individual artisans rented plots, with camping to the rear and small object creation at the 'street' end.
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Everyone is very welcome to come and observe, and interact. This may include an opportunity to try out individual craft based activities, meet with DARC members and view life in the Viking Age.
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For more information on DARC, click HERE
Making Iron : Early Medieval Bloomery Iron Smelting
Time -1pm Sunday
Suits - interested teens to adults
Location - DARC camp, workshop area
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Description - 'Iron, Cold Iron, to rule them all'. Iron objects, both in
the form of weapons, armour and the tools and equipment of daily life,
are core to our periods of interest. But where does that iron actually
come from? The technology of conversion of raw iron ores into working
bars will change several times from the post Roman to start of the
Renaissance. This will be a discussion of the effective methods for
operating a bloomery iron furnace, clarifying the difference between
steel, wrought and cast iron. Illustrated with physical samples.
Instructor - Darrell Markewitz has been a professional artisan
blacksmith, operating the Wareham Forge, since 1992, with metalworking
experience going back some 45 years. His interest in bloomery iron
smelting goes back to 2001, encompassing 95 individual experimental
tests. Project work has included events in the USA, Scotland, and Europe.
As Sylard of Eagleshaven his involvement reaches to the origins of
Eoforwic. He holds a Laurel in decorative metalwork
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