Tin in antiquity : its mining and trade throughout the ancient world with particular reference to Cornwall

287 Pages·2008·46.46 MB·English

by  Penhallurick

TIN IN ANTIQUITY
For My Parents

TIN IN ANTIQUITY
its mining and trade throughout
the ancient world with particular
reference to Cornwall
R. D. Penhallurick
@)
MANEY
FOR THE INSTITUTE OF MATERIALS, MINERALS AND MINING
Book 325 published by
The Institute of Metals
1Carlton House Terrace
London SWIY 5DB, UK
© 1986R. D. Penhallurick
This paperback edition first published in 2008 by
Maney Publishing
Suite lC, Joseph's Well
Hanover Walk
LeedsLS3 lAB, UK
ISBN 978 1906540 197
All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying or otherwise, without the written consent of the copyright holder.
Requests for such permission should be addressed to Maney Publishing,
[email protected]. uk
Statements in this book reflect those of the authors and not those of the
Institute or publisher.
Typeset by
Fakenham Photosetting Ltd
Fakenham, Norfolk
Printed and bound in the UK by
The Charlesworth Group, Wakefield
Contents
Early bronze age necklace from ExIoo, Holland frontispiece
List ofillustrations vi
List ofMaps ix
Foreword by R. F. Tylecote x
Preface xi
Acknowledgmen ts xii
Note on dating xiii
Introduction I
Part 1:Africa and Asia
I Tin inAfrica 7
2 1'in in the Near East 15
3 Tin from 'Meluhha' 21
4 Tin in northern Russia and Siberia 33
5 Tin inChina 37
6 Tin insouth-west China and Vietnam 43
7 Tin in Korea and the Soviet Maritime Territory 45
8 Tin inJapan 47
9 Tin in south-east Asia 51
Part 2:Europe (excluding south-west England)
10 Early copper mining in Europe 57
11 The advent ofbronze in Europe 61
12 Tin in the Erzgebirge 71
13 Tin in the Mediterranean islands and Italy 79
14 Tin in France 85
15 Tin in Iberia 95
16 Tin inshipwrecks 105
17 Tin in Wales, Man, Cumbria and Scotland 110
18 Tin and gold in Ireland: bonanza or borrasca? III
Part 3:South-west England (Cornwall, Devon and the Isles ofScilly)
19 Tin inDevonshire lIS
20 Tin in the Isles ofScilly 119
21 The Phoenician myth 123
22 The Mycenaeans and the tin trade 132
23 Massalia, Pytheas, Ictis and Belerion 139
24 Tin inCornwall 148
25 Prehistoric finds from Cornish tin streams ·'173
26 Cornish tin ingots 225
27 Tin production in 'Dark Age' Cornwall 237
Appendix: Stjohn the Almsgiver 245
Bibliography 246
Indexes 261
v
List of Illustrations
Introduction
Cassiterite specimens, stream-tin 2
Part 1
2 Pilgrim bottle oflow-lead pewter from Abydos, Egypt 8
3 Oval bezel from aring oftin from Gurob, Egypt 9
4 Syrians carrying ingots ofcopper and tin, from the tomb ofAmen-em-opet 10
5 Alluvial tin mining in northern Nigeria in the early 20th century II
6 Porters carrying ingots ofcopper and 'Asiatic copper', from the tomb of
Rekh-mi-Re 16
7 Two late bronze age tin ingots, from Dor near Haifa, Israel 17
8 Figurine ofa tin-bronze dancing girl, from Mohenjo-daro, Pakistan 23
9 Mining tooJs ofstone; plan and section ofancient, open-cast tin workings on lodes
in eastern Uzbekistan 27
10 Elamite amulet ofblack stone, from Soch, USSR 31
11 Iron age saddle arches decorated with tin foil, from Pazyryk, Siberia 37
12 Shang dynasty tin ingots from Hsiao-t'un, China 40
13 Shaft timberwork and awindlass, after Agricola 41
14 Remains and reconstruction ofawindlass from T'ung-lii-shan copper mine, China 42
15 Wooden 'batea' from T'ung-lii-shan copper mine, and similar items after Agricola 42
16 Quern forgrinding ore 48
17 Method ofsmelting and casting tin 48
18 Simplified sections illustrating the variety ofalluvial tin deposits in Malaysia 52
19 Traditional Chinese method oftin streaming in Malaysia using hand-labour 53
20 Winning tin ore from the bed ofadried-out streambed in Malaysia S4
21 Section through an alluvial tin deposit with traditional Chinese method ofhand-
working two tin-bearing stratas 54
Part 2
22 Early bronze age birchwood bowl from Guldhej, Denmark 65
23. Underside ofbirchwood bowl 65
24 Early bronze age segmented bead ofmetallic tin, and other finds, from Sutton
Veny, Wiltshire 67
25 Reconstruction ofthe.Hallstatt tin-decorated plate from Cortaillod, Switzerland 68
26 Fragment ofthe graphite-coated earthenware plate from Cortaillod 69
27 Vessels with tin foildecoration from Corcelettes and Hauterive, Switzerland 69
28 Hallstatt, tin-decorated pot from Sublaines, France 69
29 Ingot oftin from Estavayer, Switzerland 69
30 Diagrams of'stockwerks' and tin-bearing strata at various locations in the
Erzgebirge 73
31 Fire-setting, after Agricola 73
32 'Attack ofrocks by fire' in the Rammelsberg copper mines 74
33 Late mediaeval tin streaming area west ofBozi Dar, Czechoslovakia 76
34 Tin streaming, after Agricola 77
35 'Working by the excavation ofa mass', Campiglia, Italy 81
36 Etruscan miner's lamp, and Etruscan coins found in mines in Tuscany, Italy 82
List ofIllustrations vii
37 Polished stone axe-head and a bronze palstave found in the tin streamworks at La
Villeder, Brittany 89
38 Miner's tools ofwood and iron from the Gallo-Roman tin workings at Abbaretz-
Nozay, Brittany 90
39 General view ofthe newly opened alIuvial tin workings at St Renan, Brittany, in
October 1960 91
40 Idealized sections showing the simple methods ofworking tin deposits in Orense,
Spain, late 19th century 98
41 Washing ore with bowls in tubs ofwater in the Erzgebirge 99
42 Ingots found underwater south ofHaifa, Israel, in 1982 106
43 Selection oftin ingots from the mid-1st century AD wreck at Port Vendres, France 107
44 Tin ingots recovered from awreck near Capo Bellavista, Sardinia 108
Part 3
45 Alluvial tin deposits at Huntingdon Cross, Devon 117
46 Tinners' trial trench at the north end ofTresco, Isles ofScilly 120
47 Romano-British tin ingot from Par beach, Isles ofScilly 122
48 'Phoenicians bartering with Britons', from the painting by Leighton 124
49 Mediaeval tin figurine ofaking, from Bodwen, Lanlivery 126
50 Bronze bull from St] ust-in-Penwith 129
51 Tin-decorated kylix from Ialyssos, Rhodes 133
52 Bronze helmets from Knossos, Crete, and Beitzsch, East Germany 134-
53 Mycenaean swords from Denmark, France, Mycenae, and Crete 135
54 Finds from 'Wessex culture' graves 136
55 Tin content offaience beads from different areas 136
56 Pelynt dagger, and a Mycenaean example 137
57 Cypriot 'hook-tang weapons' from Torrington and Sidmouth 138
58 Greco-Roman lead anchor stock from Porth Felen, north Wales 141
59 'Horse carrying blocks oftin across Gaul' 143
60 Early 19th century views of'St Michael's Mount at high and low tides 144
61 Outcropping tin lode at Nanjulian Cliff, 8tJ ust-in-Penwith 150
62 Early bronze age flat axe ofcopper from Penolva, Paul 151
63 Middle oronze age palstave found at Godolphin Mine, Breage 152
64 Working gold alluvials in California in the mid-19th century 153
65 Tin streamer at Porthtowan beach c.1902recovering tin which escaped the
dressing floor ofmines further inland 154
66 Digging out the 'tin ground' on Red Moor, Lanlivery, c.1910 155
67 Submerged forest in Mount's Bay exposed in 1883 157
68 Tin streaming at Kenton Marsh, Bodmin Moor, c.1907 159
69 Aconceptual diagram indicating the relative times ofdestruction ofthe major
types ofprimary tin deposits in Cornwall and the locations and order of
developmen tofthe tin placers 161
70 Nugget ofgold from the Carnon valley tin stream, and agold necklace from the tin
stream at Ladock 162
71 Early bronze age gold lunulae and bronze flat axe found at Harlyn Bay in 1863 164-
72 Section ofthe tin streamworks at Porth (Par) 167
73,74 Antler picks from Carnon Valley tin stream 169
75 Mediaeval crazing mill and tin-crushing stones found at Vorvas farm, Lelant, in1907 171
76 Middle bronze age rapier found in 1796in the Benallack Tin Streamworks, St
Blazey 175
77 Part ofamap ofRoselyon in 1794showing the Middle Way Tin Stream 176
78 'Fowey' pin, middle bronze age 177
79 X-radiograph oraslag fragment containing metallic tin 178
80 Rare specimen ofstream tin from the Pentewan Valley 17Q
81 Front and back view oftin ingot found inStAustell Moor 180
82 Top and side views ofa 'jet slider' 180
83 Happy Union Tin Streamworks, Pentewan Valley 180
viii List ofIllustrations
84- Cross-section ofthe Happy Union Streamworks, 1854- 181
85 Middle bronze age socketed chisel 182
86 Middle bronze age spearhead 182
87 Pentewan tankard, probably 1stcentury AD 183
88 Trewhiddle hoard oflate Saxon metalwork 183
89 Reconstructed silver chalice from the Trewhiddle hoard 184
90 Wheal Virgin tin streamworks, Pentewan valley 185
91 Middle bronze age rapier blade 186
92 Two views offibula from Tregilgas; finger ring; penannular brooch 186
93 Pewter bowl from Hallivick 188
94- Selection oftin vessels and mask oftin found at Bath, 1878 189-91
95 Trenowth collar, probably 1st century AD 192
96 View down the Carnon valley c. 1908 193
97 Tinners' tools ofuncertain date 193
98 Early bronze age flat axe 193
99 Skeleton and skull found in the Carnon valley tin streamworks in 1823 194
100 Bead-rim bowls ofnearly pure tin 195
101 Middle bronze age pin from a tin streamworks in StColumb 196
102 Middle bronze age palstave 196
103 Bronze La Tene brooch 197
104- Middle bronze age spearheads 198
105 Bronze cauldrons ofHallstatt type 199
106 Bronze penannular brooch, c.6th century AD 200
107 Roman tin bowl with cover, and Roman disc-brooch 201-2
108 Unproved bronzes 202
109 Middle bronze age palstave and part ofbronze saw 203
110 Bronze age rapier 204-
111 'Carnanton' tin ingot 204-
112 Close-up ofCarnan ton tin ingot 206
113 Pebbles ofstream tin from excavations at CamEuny in Sancreed, and Trevisker
in StEva) 207
114 Section ofthe tin streamworks at Bolventor, Bodrnin Moor 207
115 Two fragments ofLa Tene collar 208
116 Socketed bronze chisel, c. 1100-1000 BC 209
117 Tanged knife and socketed spearhead, both ofbronze 209
118 Tin ingot from Boscarne 211
119 Sherds ofSamian pottery from Boscarne tin stream 211
120 Tinner's oak shovel, possibly mediaeval, from Boscarne tin stream 211
121 'Dark Age' tinner's oak shovel from Boscarne tin stream 212
122 Part oflate bronze age hoard from Kenidjack, StJust 213
123 Late Roman stone moulds for pewter dishes found at Leswidden, StJust-in-Penwith, and
a Roman pewter dish from Appleford, Berkshire, for comparison 214
124- The tinjug and tinpatera from Bosence, and broken tinjug from Caerhays Wood 215
125 Section and plan ofthe Bog tin streamworks at Marazion Marsh 217
126 Alluvial tin workings in the Hayle valley between St Erth church and Trewinnard 218
127 Fowey ingot, 1of5 tin ingots recovered from the estuary in 1898 227
128 Late Roman tin ingot from Trethurgy, StAustell 228
129 Tin ingot dug up in agarden at Penwithick Stents, StAustell 228
130 Outline and section oftin ingot found at Burngullow, St Mewan, in 1858 229
131 Outline and section oflost tin ingot, perhaps from Lanjew, Withiel 230
132 St Mawes ingot dredged up in 1812 232
133 Tin ingots, c.AD 600, from Prah Sands, Germoe 234
134 Tin ingot, probably from Land's End peninsula 235
135 Tin ingot found at Trereife, Madron 235
136 Tin-decorated Tating ware jug, from Birka, Sweden 241
Tailpiece Leaden seal ofthe community oftinners ofCornwall ,in use by 1305, found on
Lee Down near Bath in 1842 244