Overview:
This article focuses on the evolution of mine pumping technology in Europe, specifically in the 16th and 17th centuries, examining the transition from Agricola’s methods to the innovative Stangenkunst. The author highlights how the reliance on Agricola’s work has led to an oversimplification of mining history, with many historians believing that mining techniques remained unchanged for centuries after his time. However, the article argues that the Stangenkunst, a piston pump driven by a distant prime mover, was introduced during Agricola’s time and significantly improved mine pumping efficiency. This innovation, combined with the evolution of other machinery, marked a significant shift in mining practices during the 17th century.
The article uses detailed descriptions of coins from the 17th century as visual evidence of the Stangenkunst’s widespread adoption in mines across central Europe. These coins, with their intricate depictions of mining landscapes, showcase the intricate workings of the Stangenkunst and provide valuable insights into the technology of the period. The author also explores the potential influence of the Stangenkunst on the development of the steam engine in England, suggesting that Germany’s less pressing need for mine drainage due to the efficiency of the Stangenkunst may have contributed to its slower adoption of the steam engine.
Key Findings:
- Historians have oversimplified the development of mining techniques, focusing too heavily on Agricola’s work and neglecting the significant advancements that followed.
- The Stangenkunst, a piston pump driven by a distant prime mover, was introduced during Agricola’s time and became the dominant mine pumping technology in the 17th century.
- The widespread adoption of the Stangenkunst, which utilized water power more efficiently, may have influenced the slower adoption of the steam engine in Germany.
Learning:
- The limitations of relying solely on one source: The article demonstrates how focusing too heavily on one source, like Agricola’s work, can distort our understanding of historical developments. It is crucial to consider multiple sources and perspectives to get a comprehensive picture.
- The importance of innovation: The Stangenkunst exemplifies the crucial role of innovation in technological progress. This invention revolutionized mine pumping practices, enabling deeper mining and increased productivity.
- The interconnectedness of technology and societal factors: The article suggests that Germany’s advanced hydraulic machinery, like the Stangenkunst, may have influenced the timing of steam engine adoption. Technological development is not solely driven by technological factors, but also shaped by social and economic conditions.
Historical Context:
The text was written in the early 20th century, a time when interest in the history of technology and its impact on society was growing. This context influenced the author’s focus on the evolution of mine pumping technology, highlighting its significance in the broader narrative of industrialization.
Facts:
- Coins as historical sources: 16th-century German coins with intricate mining landscapes provided valuable insights into early mine pumping devices. This demonstrates how unconventional sources can contribute to historical research.
- Survival of Roman technology: The use of Archimedian screws and norias for dewatering mines by the Romans demonstrates the persistence of technological knowledge across historical periods.
- Mining decline in the first millennium: Mining activity declined after the fall of Rome due to various factors, including political instability and the exhaustion of easily accessible deposits.
- Revival of mining in the 10th century: Mining activity revived in central Europe, particularly in areas of German settlement, from the 10th century onwards.
- Financial necessities of deep mining: The need for deeper mining in the 14th century led to significant changes in capital structure and mining laws.
- Impact of the Black Death: The Black Death in the 14th century caused a sharp decline in mining activity, delaying the development of deep-mining methods.
- Agricola’s De re metallica: This 1556 treatise provided a detailed description of the mining machines of the time, including bucket windlasses, suction pumps, chain of dippers, and rag and chain pumps.
- Agricola’s categorization of hauling machines: Agricola classified hauling machines into four types, each using different prime movers (men, horses, or waterwheels) and mechanical advantages.
- Horse whims and waterwheels: Agricola recognized the greater power of horse whims and waterwheels compared to man-powered windlasses.
- Importance of water power: Agricola highlighted the advantages of using flowing water for mine pumping, as it provided the most powerful option available at the time.
- Horse-powered rag and chain pump: This was considered the most powerful machine for deep mines in Agricola’s time.
- Introduction of the Stangenkunst: The Stangenkunst, a piston pump driven by a distant prime mover, was introduced during Agricola’s time, marking a significant shift in mine pumping technology.
- Use of the Stangenkunst in the Erzgebirge: The Stangenkunst was introduced to the Erzgebirge region as early as 1550.
- Introduction of the Stangenkunst to the Harz: The Stangenkunst was brought to the Harz region in 1565 by Heinrich Eschenbach.
- Feldstangen and Kunstkreuz: These innovations extended the Stangenkunst’s reach, enabling the use of distant water sources for mine pumping.
- Balanced rods in the Stangenkunst: The use of balanced rods in the 17th century helped overcome the weight disadvantage of long extensions of rods.
- Adapting the horse whim to the Stangenkunst: The horse whim was fitted with a crank and adapted to the Stangenkunst, creating a network of power transmission in mines.
- Installation of “Kunsten und Zeugen”: In 1570, a mine director reported the installation of 38 water-powered machines, likely Stangenkunsten, highlighting their widespread adoption.
- Dominance of the Stangenkunst: Mine treatises from the 17th and 18th centuries attest to the continued expansion of the Stangenkunst, making it the dominant mine pumping technology.
- Illustrated coinage: Brunswick multiple talers from the 17th century depict Stangenkunsten in mining landscapes, providing visual evidence of their significance.
Statistics:
- Brunswick Silver Coin Size: The largest Brunswick Silver coins weighed up to 15 ounces.
- “Loeser” Coin Denominations: These coins, designed to hoard wealth, were struck in denominations ranging from 1¼ to 16 talers.
- Stangenkunst Lifting Capacity: The Stangenkunst could raise water over 100 Lachter (562 feet) at a low cost.
- Weight of Iron Chain in Bulgenkunst: A single iron chain in a Bulgenkunst could weigh over 10 tons.
- Cost of Water-powered Machines: Martin Planer reported that water-powered machines cost only 10 to 20 percent of “Pferden und Knechten” (horses and laborers).
- Stangenkunst Distance: Stangenkunsten were used in mines to drive machinery as distant as a mile from the water source.
Terms:
- Agricola: A 16th-century German mining engineer and author of “De re metallica,” a comprehensive treatise on mining practices.
- Tractoriae: A Latin term used by Agricola to describe hauling machines.
- Bulga: A Latin term for “water bucket,” often used in conjunction with German terms like “Bulgenkunst.”
- Kehrrad: A bucket windlass driven by a reversible waterwheel, considered Agricola’s largest hauling machine.
- Stangenkunst: A piston pump driven through a crank and rods by a distant prime mover, introduced during Agricola’s time.
- Feldstangen: Extended horizontal series of reciprocating rods used in the Stangenkunst to transmit power over distances.
- Kunstkreuz: A lever in the shape of a cross used to change the direction of power transmission in the Stangenkunst.
- Rosskunst: A term for the horse windlass, sometimes used interchangeably with “Göpel.”
- Kunsten und Zeugen: A term used in the 17th century to refer to water-powered machines, likely Stangenkunsten.
- Loeser: A type of large silver coin issued by the Dukes of Brunswick in the 16th and 17th centuries to hoard wealth and control silver output.
Examples:
- Brunswick Silver Talers: These coins, issued by the Dukes of Brunswick, depict intricate mining landscapes showcasing the use of Stangenkunst and other mine pumping technologies. The coins served as visual evidence of the technology’s widespread use in the 17th century.
- St. Anna Mine Medal: A medal from the 17th century depicting the St. Anna mine near Freiberg shows an aqueduct supplying a waterwheel for powering a Stangenkunst, as well as an underground vertical treadmill driving a piston pump.
- Lautental Mine: The article mentions a Stangenkunst near the Lautental mine, which was still in use as late as 1930, demonstrating the long lifespan of this technology.
- Marly Waterworks: The Stangenkunst was used to drive pumps in the famous waterworks at Marly in France, highlighting the technology’s versatility and application beyond mining.
- Falun Mine: In 1694, Christopher Polhem built a water-powered conveyor system at the Falun mine in Sweden, demonstrating further advances in mining technology beyond those described by Agricola.
- Auff der Halsbrucker Mine: Edward Browne’s account of a trip to the Erzgebirge in 1673 mentions an 84-fathom mine where they were “not so much troubled with water” and had good engines for drawing water out, suggesting the effectiveness of mine pumping technology at the time.
Conclusion:
This article challenges the common misconception that mine pumping techniques remained stagnant for centuries after Agricola’s time. It highlights the significance of the Stangenkunst, a major innovation that transformed mine pumping practices in the 17th century. The widespread adoption of the Stangenkunst in central Europe demonstrates the power of technological advancement and its impact on economic and social structures. This article also offers a glimpse into the evolution of mining technology, emphasizing the interconnectedness of historical developments and the importance of considering multiple sources to gain a complete understanding of historical events.