It seemed unique and rather amazing to those who read local newspaper reports of the 1949 discovery by Arlington Mallery of the remains of a pit iron furnace and iron artifacts in the Arledge Indian mound along Deer Creek in southern Ohio.
Mallery was hardly the first, however, to find an iron furnace and iron artifacts in an Indian mound. In the late 1920's Warren King Morehead excavated Indian mounds in northern Georgia at the Etowah Mound Group and at Carter's Quarter. The archaeologist found iron artifacts in the Carter's Quarter mound and the remains of what must have been a pit iron smelter inside a mound at Etowah. Both of these locations are near Cartersville, Ga.
Like those who found other enigmatic iron artifacts elsewhere in Georgia, it was easy for Morehead at first to think of the DeSoto expedition of 1539-1542. Especially since the Carter's Quarter iron artifacts included rusted pieces of sword blades found next to a human skeleton. But upon reflection, Morehead must have recalled how much DeSoto's expedition came to resemble a disastrous military retreat through enemy territory. Thus it is unlikely these Spanish gold-seekers paused to make some iron as they fled ever westward toward the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola.
Then Morehead heard a legend about a plantation owner and suggested it as an explanation for the incredible and disturbing find of the iron furnace in a mound at Etowah. According to the legend, the plantation's slaves built and operated the furnace. It is true that small pit iron furnaces were used in Africa for many centuries by Africans to produce wrought iron, but there is no evidence this African technology was ever transferred to America.
This writer knows of the occurrence of no other small iron furnaces otherwise unknown to history in Georgia. However, based upon my experience in Ohio and the extent of the occurrence of the mysterious furnaces of Virginia, it is quite possible such furnaces might exist elsewhere in the north central Georgia area around Cartersville.
The fact that iron ore exists in the area of the Etowah Mounds is confirmed by the presence of Cooper's Iron Works, a historic site iron furnace site at nearby Cartersville, Georgia.
Information about the Etowah Mounds is available at:
Etowah Mounds Archaeological Area