Bronze Age Copper Mining in Britain and Ireland

Book excerpt: The knowledge of metallurgy, first developed in the Near East, spread to most parts of Europe by 2000 BC. The birth of this new technology coincided with a pivotal moment in the human story, a time of great social and economic change which we call the bronze age. Flourishing metal industries emerged in Britain and Ireland, the success of which owed much to the ability to secure reliable supplies of copper and tin. Recent research has uncovered several locations where bronze age copper mines have survived the destructive reworking of recent centuries. This book examines the distribution of these sites and their geological background. All aspects of early mining technology are covered, from the initial discovery of copper minerals to their extraction and concentration using primitive techniques. This mining was a considerable technological achievement, as was the ability to convert the mineral ores to metal by smelting at high temperatures. The daily life of these miners, the dangers they faced, their settlement background and ritual beliefs are also considered. Many of these miners made an important contribution to trade during the bronze age. This book contains recent research on the most important sites, some of which can be visited by the public today, and provides a useful introduction to a fascinating aspect of bronze age life.