Beyond furnaces and slags: A review study of bellows and their role in indigenous African metallurgical processes

Combustion was pivotal in the heat-mediated process of indigenous metalworking in precolonial Africa. For such combustion to be initiated, a consistent supply of air was essential and because bellows generated the air that precipitated the chemical reactions integral to smelting and forging, they were thus critical apparatus in these pursuits. Surprisingly, bellows have failed to attract much academic research when compared to other components of indigenous metalworking such as furnaces, slags and tuyères. Perhaps the excellent preservation of remnants of furnaces and slags, and the contrasting perishable nature of bellows, is largely responsible for this lack of interest. This paper deals with a 'forgotten' but essential aspect of indigenous metal working in sub-Saharan Africa - the bellows. It discusses their chronology, distribution, technical parameters and socio-cultural dimensions. It achieves this by melding multiple strands of evidence from archaeology and its cognate disciplines.