1-152-584 - Ann Ronan Picture Library/Heritage-Images

Charcoal burning, 1540. Building a pyramid of wood (right) to be covered with bracken and earth, then slowly burned (left) to produce charcoal. Charcoal produced by this method is superior to charcoal produced in pits. From De la Pirotechnia by the Italian metallurgist Vannoccio Biringuccio (1480-1539). (Venice, 1540).