The hisTory of charcoal burning
As far back as 5,500 years ago, the use of charcoal was commonplace. Whereas pure copper could be smelted at about 800°C, only charcoal would burn at the 1000°C temperatures required to produce bronze from tin and copper. Bronze was hard-wearing, and ideal for making swords, axes and tools. Charcoal production grew steadily, and by 1,000BC its production was a major industry. By AD43-410, iron was being produced on a large scale. Archaeological evidence indicates that thousands of acres of coppice were efficiently managed to produce enough wood to keep up with demand. The by-products of charcoal, such as tar, were used to caulk ships. By 1334, charcoal had found a new use, as a component of gunpowder. Then in 1735, it was discovered that coal could be converted to coke, which produces a higher temperature. The new fuel was more efficient and within a century, most of the charcoal furnaces had converted to coke. Over 4,000 years of charcoal use as an industrial fuel were over. Today, only approximately 100 people in the UK produce charcoal commercially.