Slag stone and slag house - unique cultural treasures

AnnMarie Gunnarsson, Peter Nyblom 215 pages

HOUSES OF SLAG many have never seen them, others stand in awe of the slag stones that shimmer in blue, green, gray and also change color with the light. Exciting structures, small lumps of iron, striped patterns from charcoal, what can't you find when you take a closer look at the building material. What is that, many ask today. When were the houses built? Why was slag made? The slag stone is our first artificial building stone, used in ore tracts as an alternative to building timber. The forest was needed for the production of charcoal, the fuel for smelting ore and extracting copper and iron. The metals were exported and gave Sweden income and the people a higher standard of living. Slag was a by-product of metal production. The metals have been sold out to the world, the workplaces are shut down and gone - but the slag remains and tells about ores and technological development, about heavy physical work and skilled craftsmanship. No slag stone is the same. Never again can anyone be made. The book wants to increase awareness of the buildings. The oldest are from the 18th century, the youngest from the early 20th century. They are churches or earth cellars and everything in between. The pictures want to show how fantastic the houses are and the text to inform about background, production and care. The hope is that people will be inspired to be proud of the shacks and take care of these unique buildings, built from a material that is irreplaceable today.