A bloomery is a type of furnace used in ancient metallurgy to extract iron from its ore. It operates at lower temperatures than modern smelting methods, allowing for the production of a spongy mass of iron called "bloom." This process typically involves heating iron ore with charcoal, which serves as both fuel and a reducing agent. The bloom produced in a bloomery contains both iron and slag, a byproduct of the smelting process. After extraction, the bloom is often hammered to remove the slag and consolidate the iron, making it suitable for further shaping into tools or weapons. Bloomery technology was widely used before the advent of more advanced smelting techniques.