About 2,000,000 tons of iron slag were found in Populonia, Italy. The slag was produced by the Etruscan people between 4th-1st century B.C. with primitive smelting methods. Iron ore was brought from Elba island and smelted in three types of furnace. The Etruscan people produced mainly sponge iron to export to the Greeks who emigrated near Naples, but only one short bar made from some lumps of sponge iron was excavated. At the end of the lst century B.C. a Roman villa was constructed on the mounds of slag. This record suggests the end of ironmaking industry in Populonia. -- AATA