STUDIES IN ANCIENT MINING AND METALLURGY IN SOUTH-WEST SPAIN /
Explorations and Excavations in the Province of Huelva 1981 by Beno
Rothenberg and Antonia Blanco-Freijeiro with contributions by H G
Bachmann, R Corzo, P T Craddock, A Horowitz, J Hunt, A Jimenez, M P
Jones, K J Matterson, C L Peers, A Ronen, K N Shettle, R F Tylecote. 
320 pp 298 illus  HB £18.00  Institute for Archaeo-Metallurgical
Studies, Institute of Archaeology, University of London.  

Huelva province in south-west Spain is one of the great  ancient metal
mining areas of the world.  This book is the result of a very detailed
study of a part of this area, where ancient mining began in the
Chalcolithic age - 4th to early 3rd millennium BC and developed into the
largest metal industry of the ancient world in Roman times.  

The introduction quotes some early sources such as Pliny and Strabo and
describes the many archaeological finds, many of which were uncovered by
later mining.

This is followed by details of the survey.  Over forty sites are
described with numerous photos and plans.  The usual parameters are
given, grid reference, location, description etc.  Sites include: Early
mining and smelting sites, Early sites with metallurgical remains, and
Ancient industrial mining and smelting sites.  This gives a good
indication of the archaeo-metallurgical potential of the area.  

Two preliminary surveys of the Huelva coastal plane covering geology and
the paleo-environment [pollen analysis] are also included. 

It transpires from the excavation of Tejada la Vieja, a pre-Roman
village, now uninhabited, that this was an important site for metal
production and trade.  The finds give an interesting perception into
life in the Late Bronze Age.  This is a particularly fascinating portion
of the book, with the village having occupied such a dominant position
between two natural regions, so much so that even its inhabitants were
recognised as almost a race apart, living as they did between those who
made their living from agriculture on the fertile plains, and those who
roamed the northern mountains.

Having just visited south-west Cork, an area also famed for its Bronze
age mines, it was interesting to compare the techniques used in the two
locations, particularly as related to trench mines and it would be
interesting to mount a survey to compare the various technologies
employed.

Particularly interesting about this book is the way in which the wealth
of archaeological data has been incorporated to give an overall picture
of the social influences which have had a direct bearing on the industry
and its exponents.

The book is concluded by a series of analytical procedures for slag,
flux, ore and furnace linings.  

Tony Oldham, Specialist Caving and Mining Bookseller


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