Beaker and Early Bronze Age Tin Exploitation in Cornwall: Cassiterite Processing Identified through Microwear and pXRF Analyses

<p>The appearance of Beaker pottery in Britain and Ireland during the twenty-fifth century BC marks a</p> <p>significant archaeological horizon, being synchronous with the first metal artefacts. The adoption of</p> <p>arsenical copper, mostly from Ireland, was followed by that of tin-bronze around 2200 BC. However,</p> <p>whilst the copper mine of Ross Island in Ireland is securely dated to the Early Bronze Age, and further</p> <p>such mines in the UK have been dated to the Early and Middle Bronze Age, the evidence for the</p> <p>exploitation of tin ores, the other key ingredient to make bronze, has remained circumstantial. This</p> <p>article contains the detailed analyses of seven stone artefacts from securely dated contexts, using a combination of surface pXRF and microwear analysis. The results provide strong evidence that the tools</p> <p>were used in cassiterite processing. The combined analysis of these artefacts documents in detail the</p> <p>exploitation of Cornish tin during this early phase of metal use in Britain and Ireland.</p>