FORNAX
FORNAX
dim.
FORNA´CULA, FURNUS (
κάμινος,
dim.
καμίνιον), a kiln; an oven; a furnace. The
construction of the kilns used for baking earthenware [
FICTILE] may be seen in the
annexed woodcut, which represents part of a Roman pottery kiln discovered
near Castor, in North-amptonshire. The dome-shaped roof has been destroyed;
but the flat circular floor on which the earthenware was set to be baked is
preserved entire. The middle of this floor is supported by a thick column of
brick-work, which is encircled by the oven (
furnus,
κλίβανος). The entrance to the oven
(
praefurnium) is seen in front. For the
account of another oven found at Heddernheim, see
FICTILE p. 845. The lower part of a
smelting-furnace, shaped like an inverted bell, and sunk into the earth,
with an opening and a channel at the bottom for the discharge
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Fornax, a kiln. (Discovered near Castor, in
Northamptonshire.)
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of the melted metal, has been discovered near Arles (Florencourt,
Ueber die Bergwerke der Alten, p. 30). In Spain these
furnaces were raised to a great height, in order that the noxious fumes
might be carried off (
Strabo iii. p.146).
They were also provided with long flues (
longinquae
fornacis cuniculo,
Plin. Nat. 9.133), and with chambers
(
camerae) for the purpose of collecting
more plentifully the oxides and other matters by sublimation
(
Ibid. 34. § § 101, 128, 135, 136, 142,
144). In the primitive forges known to Homer, there was no furnace, only
melting-pots (
χόανοι), each with their
separate bellows (
Il. 18.470;
FOLLIS). Melting-pots or
crucibles have been found at Castor, and at different places in Egypt, in
form and material very like those which we now employ (Wilkinson,
Anc. Egypt. 2.235, ed. Birch, 1878). A glass-house, or
furnace for making glass, was called
ὑελουργεῖον (Dioscor. 5.182).
Furnaces of an appropriate construction were erected for casting large
statues of bronze (Claud.
de Laud. Stil. 2.176), and for
making lamp-black (
Vitr. 7.10). [
ATRAMENTUM] The lime-kiln
(
fornax calcaria) is described by Cato
(
de R. R.. 38; see also
Plin.
Nat. 17.53;
Vitr. 7.3). For the
furnus used in heating baths, see p. 279.
The early Romans recognised, under the name of Fornax, a divinity who
presided over ovens and furnaces [
FORNACALIA].
[
J.Y] [
W.W]
