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Dear Dave, There were crucibles associated with an assay house associated with one of the gold mines in that vicinity. I would have to check the NGR to see if you have found the same site. From what I can remember the crucible I saw did not have ribs on the outisde. All such finds should be brought to the attention of the Snowdonia National Park Archaeological Officier - Peter Crew - who has an active interest in the mines and assay houses in the region. Dave Linton wrote: > Dear List > > At Union (a.k.a. Tynllan, Tynllwyn or Wnion) gold/manganese mine > (SH712216 near Llanelltyd, Dolgellau) I found a quantity of fragments > of what appear to be graphite bowls. > > Their external dimensions are 110mm diameter across the rim, 60mm > diameter across the base and depth 20mm. Thickness of material is > about 3mm. They have a spiral ribbed pattern on the outside of the > curved sides. As far as I can tell they are pressed from graphite. > The material can be scraped with a knife blade to yield a black > powder and a broken corner will mark paper. > > There's quite a quantity of these fragments there, spread over an > area by the river where I suspect some processing took place. > > My question is - do these have anything to do with the mine site? > Perhaps for assay work or something similar? I think it unlikely that > they've been dumped as there's no other sign of general rubbish > dumping on the site. > > Dave > -- > Dave Linton > > Tel: (01341) 280901 (UK) +44 1341 280901 (international) > Fax: 0870 124 9761 (UK) > http://www.btinternet.com/~birchlands/dlinton/ -- Chris Salter, Department of Materials Characterisation Services, Begbroke Business and Science Park, Sandy Lane, Yarnton, Oxford, OX5 1PF Tel 01865 283722, EPMA 283741, Mobile 07776031608