How did ancient civilizations make furnaces hot enough to melt metals like copper or iron with just charcoal, wood, coal, clay, dirt and stone?
In: Engineering
Wood fires are all it takes to melt most early metals. All you have to do is make the fire hot enough with strong airflow.
Prior to the (or in absence of the) bellows, long tubes were blown into by apprentices or other servants to keep a constant, fast airflow on the coals.
Copper has a low melting point. You can melt copper coins on a modern stove burner.
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