Further evidence that the Cornish have been mining tin for almost 4000 years

The Royal Cornwall Museum has revealed exciting finds in a new collection showing evidence that Bronze Age mining took place in Cornwall. The pieces are to be presented next month in the redesigned Mineral Gallery.

Recent carbon dating research on an oak spade, together with evidence from the examination of a bit of antler, has indicated that these two items in the museum’s archive are the first Bronze Age tin mining tools found in Europe. This newly published research into pick and shovel supports the growing evidence of Bronze Age work in Cornwall dating back more than 3,600 years.

The Royal Cornwall Museum chronicles this important development of mining and minerals in its collections. Both the antler pick and the wooden shovel were found in the Carnon Valley in mid-Cornwall when tin works were resumed in the Alluvial Century, with radiocarbon dating indicating they are from the British Bronze Age (2400-800 BC). BC).

Read more:

Led by Dr Alan Williams from Durham University’s Department of Archaeology, the Royal Cornwall Museum’s oak spade has been radiocarbon dated to around 3200 years old by the Project Ancient Tin Team, with a grant from the Royal Institute of Archaeology. Believed to have been found in the Carnon Valley in 1815, this design is made from a single piece of wood, unlike medieval wooden shovels which are in two pieces.

Found around 1855, the antler cluster (48cm long) is around 3600 years old, or Early Bronze Age, and is the first evidence for tin and/or alluvial gold mining in the British Isles. Examination of the antler pieces reveals numbering marks carved into the side, which could signify the work of prehistoric miners, with research and dating of this piece led by Dr Simon Timberlake, Early Mines Research Group.

Get the best stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox every day. Choose what you want Here.

Now dated, these two items from the Royal Cornwall Museum collection are of historical significance, representing the first Bronze Age mining tools discovered in Europe and showing evidence of Bronze Age tin working in Cornwall. Small amounts of gold also found in the Carnon Valley have been chemically fingerprinted to the gold in the famous Nebra Sky Disc, an artifact believed to be the world’s oldest star map.

Found in Germany and considered one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th century, the inclusion of Cornish gold and tin in this disk, along with other finds, suggests that prehistoric Cornish mining and trading practices may have been pioneered in the era European bronze.

Bryony Robins, Artistic Director at the Royal Cornwall Museum, says: “Cornwall and mining are already intertwined, but this important find demonstrates just how much mining took place in Cornwall and how well developed some of the tools of the trade were, even at that time . The Mineral Gallery will share Cornwall’s mining heritage with our visitors and showcase the world-renowned collection of rocks and minerals in a more accessible way. And of course the role that mining continues to play in Cornwall.”

Re-opening in early July 2024, the new mineral gallery will be a chance to celebrate the past and future of Cornish mining with the unveiling of this first phase of the museum’s transformation, which continues into 2025. This is just the start of an exciting new era for this 200-year-old institution – a center for exploration, learning and custodian of Cornish heritage – houses over a million artefacts.

⚠️ Want the latest breaking Cornwall news and top stories first? Click here to join CornwallLive on WhatsApp and we’ll send you breaking news and top stories straight to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out anytime you want. If you are curious, you can read Privacy Notice.