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The Little Known Profession That Powered The World Before Fossil Fuels
The dirty life of Medieval charcoal burners
Before the world began firing up furnaces with the help of propane and natural gas another material was used — charcoal. Many believe that pre-industrial people simply threw logs and branches they picked up from the forest into their kilns and called it a day but that was not the case. Almost everyone used charcoal in place of green wood.
Charcoal does not simply grow on trees, it has to be made. The process of creating charcoal is an ancient art that has been around for thousands of years. During the Medieval period there were thousands of charcoal burners all over the world tending to giant burn piles that were meticulously kept within a certain set of parameters to create the perfect type of charcoal.
Charcoal burning was a vastly important job but it was also dirty and lonely. In the hierarchy of Medieval professions charcoal burner was placed firmly near the bottom. The craft was so disparaged that most people have forgotten that it even existed despite the fact that for hundreds of years charcoal powered the world.
What Was Charcoal Used For?
Today, charcoal is primarily used for grilling purposes but the reason why people use…
