Starting fires

[Valerian Pertinax]

What evidence is available to let us know how western Bronze Age cultures started fire from nothing? I'm especially interested in a Roman Army on the march.
Although it seems flint and iron would be an obvious answer, I'd rather not assume.

[M. Demetrius]

Quite a few steel strikers have been found, but I couldn't swear they were in military marching context. The simplest way to start a fire is not to let it go out. Many cultures have developed ways of keeping a few embers alive for a long time, and carrying them to the next camp. Since the Roman army marched with wagons and carts following, a metal cauldron packed with embers from a previous fire seems a logical way, but I don't have citations to that effect.

Flint and iron/steel is a quick process, though, and the only thing one needs is charred vegetable fibers of one sort or another, and dry tinder. The rest is just like making fire with a kitchen match, or any other flame source.

But Romans in the Bronze Age is going way back in Roman history, isn't it?

[Nathan Ross]

This thread might provide some answers:

How did the Greeks make Fire?

[john m roberts]

Not to mention that flint and bronze doesn't work very well.

[M. Demetrius]

Thanks, John, I needed a chuckle just now.

[Robert]

Flint and marcasite nodules work well. That was used long before the use of firesteel and almost certainly in the Stone and Bronze age, as nodules have been found showing deep grooves where they had been repeatedly struck by a sharp edge, like a flint. The flint was the scraper, so the metal was struck with the flint, unlike the use of a firesteel, where the steel is struck along the sharp edge of the flint, scraping off sparks. The groove may also have first been cut to get a better spark and deepened by use. It's use seems to have dimminished after steel firestrikers were introduced.
However, "pyrite" was also briefly used in early flintlock firearms. It was abandoned when it was found the flint sticking the steel powdercover struck sparks even better.
Allthough pyrite and marcasite have the same chemical structure (FeS2), it is believed marcasite is a much better material for getting good sparks. This is due to the cristaline structure, marcasite does not crumble as pyrite does.
Making fire with a firedrill is also possible, I have succesfully done so several times, it doesn't work as fast as a striker, but it does produce a nice coal once you get the hang of it.

[Valerian Pertinax]

Many thanks for your reposes!

[Crispianus]

Tinder Fungus works very well when properly prepared, normally I used this with a steel and flint almost as quick as using a match or Zippo, used it on site for lighting fires, forges and even cigarettes when off duty mile:

http://www.sierrapotomac.org/W_Needham/T...90129R.htm

Google "Fire Making Patrick Cave-Browne" for more info

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I understood flint and iron-pyrite workes too?
Ok, I see you covered that Robert! :mrgreen:

[M. Demetrius]

Ok, Crispianus. Now you've done it! Tomorrow or the next day, I'm off to the woods to search for shelf fungus. I once had one, but couldn't get it to hold a spark, so I gave it the toss. Now that I have read how to do it, I'll give it a try, and bring a report soon.

[Athena Areias]

Any clues as to where marcasite nodules might be obtained? I have been trying to find some for months. The rock shops around here have none or have "specimens" on some other matrix. The UKers might have some leads... The nodules I have seen on Ebay (for example) are tiny or weigh several kgs. TIA.

[Crispianus]

Ok, Crispianus. Now you've done it! Tomorrow or the next day, I'm off to the woods to search for shelf fungus. I once had one, but couldn't get it to hold a spark, so I gave it the toss. Now that I have read how to do it, I'll give it a try, and bring a report soon.

According to PCB the tinder fungus(also linen) will catch a spark and smoulder if first charred, that generally means preparing it by heating it on a metal plate untill it goes black ,Ive never tried this myself the soaking in salt petre was the method I used... Good luck in your efforts to become a member of the sacred band of pyromaniacs

Note the Illerup stuff has a large number of hand sized stones with strike marks some of which are shaped for the purpose and an equally large number of pieces of iron(or steel rod) set into handles, presumably a germanic strike a light. Quarzit and Pyritknolle is mentioned in the text, also flint and firesteel.
see Illerup Adal Die Gurtel vol 3&4 pg 235-256

[Flavivs Aetivs]

The romans were master glassworkers, and I know they invented the magnifying lens.

Although I don't have a source to back it up, maybe they started fires using a "magnifying glass"

We used to do it in boy scouts, and we used to engrave wood with them too.