How did Metallurgy Work on the Steppe?

This is a burning question that I've had for a while now. I've always been aware that Steppe hordes had metal tools (although they primarily used and made composite tools from animal and plant parts), but over the years I've come across mentions that they made some of the metal tools themselves. Is this true? And if so, how did it work? How did nomadic people do metallurgy? Were their just empty forges that a tribe could stop at and use periodically? Could they possibly even transport heavy smithing materials/equipment with them? Or am I misreading?
 
I'm not an expert on this topic, but I would point out that there's nothing intrinsically immobile about a smithy. Anvils can be quite small - a block of iron roughly the size of a brick with a spike on one side can be hammered into a stump or block of wood or even the ground and be a perfectly serviceable anvil. If all you're making is horseshoes, arrowheads, knives, and hand tools, that's probably enough.

If you can pack up a whole yurt, you can certainly pack up a smithy. They had carts and wagons, after all.
 
I'm not an expert on this topic, but I would point out that there's nothing intrinsically immobile about a smithy. Anvils can be quite small - a block of iron roughly the size of a brick with a spike on one side can be hammered into a stump or block of wood or even the ground and be a perfectly serviceable anvil. If all you're making is horseshoes, arrowheads, knives, and hand tools, that's probably enough.

If you can pack up a whole yurt, you can certainly pack up a smithy. They had carts and wagons, after all.

What about those big scimitars? Those look like they may have required heavier equipment- granted, I looked it up and Yurts are pretty heavy so maybe they were able to bring those around too...

Is it the development of metallurgy that's hard in the steppe? Not necessarily the actual process?
 
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Yeah, getting the raw materials is the only really difficult part. Even crucible steel can be created with just iron, clay, camel dung and some charcoal.

And of course all historical Eurasian nomads were heavily invested in working metals and also trade with settled neighbours, so any shortfall of raw materials could have been made up for that way.
 
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