The Catalan forge is a set of technological processes designed to obtain iron by directly reducing the ore—without going through the intermediary of smelting as in a blast furnace—and then shingling the resulting massé.[Notes 1] The Catalan forge employs hydraulic power to operate a hammer or trip hammer, and a ventilation system, known as the trompe, is utilized to maintain the furnace's combustion. The term refers to the technology and building where this activity occurs. Despite its name, this type of forge was used extensively from the 17th to the 19th century in mountainous regions such as the Alps, the Massif Central, and the Pyrenees, as well as by the first American settlers.
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