Perhaps the litharge was required elsewhere, for example as a collector for
gold/silver extraction or refining. Could be for ores or recycled jewellery,
coinage, booty etc.
Richard Smith
----- Original Message -----
From: "Poyner, David" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 4:11 PM
Subject: Litharge
> Back in the late 1990s, archaeological work was done at a Roman site (fort
> with probably vicus) at Brompton, on the Shropshire-Powys border.
> Considerable quantities of litharge cakes were found (at least 30kg). The
> excavators concluded that cupellation had taken place at this site, to
> recover silver from a lead-silver ore. Can anyone suggest why the litharge
> was not reprocessed to recover the lead?
>
> David Poyner
>
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