The Production of Roman Metal Screw Threads

The production of Roman screws and screw threads is a topic that is largely absent in the archaeological literature. During the Roman period, small metal screw threads were used both as fastenings and to impart motion. This paper will show that it is possible to produce small metal screw threads usi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: David Sim, Chris Legg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EXARC 2023-06-01
Series:EXARC Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://exarc.net/ark:/88735/10688
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The production of Roman screws and screw threads is a topic that is largely absent in the archaeological literature. During the Roman period, small metal screw threads were used both as fastenings and to impart motion. This paper will show that it is possible to produce small metal screw threads using very simple technology that was well within the skill set of any competent metal worker. Using experimental techniques showed that small metal screw threads can be produced by semi- and unskilled labour in a timeframe that makes their production economically viable. Low visibility in the archaeological record has led to the erroneous assumption that the Romans did not use small metal screw threads.
ISSN:2212-8956