Steel production in Norrbotten 2200 BP?

In 2007 I participated in a dig in Norrbotten between Kalix and Haparanda, now some of the analyses have been presented for example an archaeometallurgic analysis shows finds of what most probably are steel, which is very interesting as this must be some of the earliest proofs of early steel production as far north as Norrbotten. The dating is ca 2200 BP which is old even in an international perspective, one of the oldest finds is from ca 4000 BP in Turkey. The diffrence between iron and steel is the procentage of coal, in steel the procentage is ca 0,5 -2 %.  I’ve googling a little to find the oldest steel find in Sweden or Scandinavia but haven’t found much more than that the knowledge of steel is from the Iron Age  (in Sweden ca 500 BC – 1050 AD). If anyone knows please write a comment (I would guess that Lars Erik englund might have something in his dissertaion but that is in Stockholm at the moment). I’ll come back to this as I have more information.

Swedish radio aired an interesting interview with archaeologist Carina Bennerhag (in Swedish – the interview starts ca 13 minutes in the program) from Norrbottens museum as a new exhibit opened a few days ago – now I want to go to Luleå and have look at the exhibit and I am awaiting the report and possible articles.

Haparandabanans blog (in Swedish) reports that the report was handed to the county board in marsh (I should know as I still worked there then) for approval so hopefully it ‘ll be availeble soon.

Magnus Reuterdahl