I think the theory was that smiths must have been very valuable memebers of the tribe once metals were discovered, so smashing their legs was a reasonable ruse to stop them running off in search of higher wages elsewhere.

This would be a notion of "culture" grounded in economic theory [I just thought I'd divert some of the recent thread distraction] and, while economic theory is useful and Steve's comment that smiths were valuable is true there are other aspects that could be relevant.

Experts in knapping, reciting the origins and legends of their group, healing, magic etc were all given extremely high acknowledgement and status in traditional societies and many still are in our current ones. The first people who managed to produce metal from ores and high temperatures and then go on to work those metals were, as far as we can tell, also given similar recognition; some were regarded as magicians. Just think of all the lore attached to Vulcan and Hephaestus and their successors/counterparts. Azizi has mentioned African examples but the smiths that produced swords, especially damascene swords, were revered to the extent that some groups still regard skillful metalworkers and their products with awe.

Some here will, if given the opportunity, wax eloquent about the metalwork attached to duelling pistols and shotguns commissioned by members of the aristocracy and there are still one or two makers of samurai swords who are recognised in Japan as National Treasures, along with various products of their predecessors.

I've long ago lost my copy of Graves' "White Goddess", where the notion of lameness and limb distortion was discussed in mythological terms but my recollection is that it was largely a feature of midwinter ceremonies where a "leader" was ritually sacrificed and replaced. My recollection doesn't extend to this becoming a feature of "kingship" generally, but that may be because my recollection is flawed. But I can't recall any proposition connecting such lameness with the magicianship involved with smithing or the later alchemy.

But I do recall (vaguely) a long ago discussion about the Queen of Sheba and her association with Solomon and a foot deformity, unspecified (in my recollection), was part of the story.

Cheers, Rowan