Sepulchra exposita, or an account of the opening of some barrows; with remarks upon miscellaneous antiquities; discovered in the neighbourhood of Audley End, Essex / [Richard Cornwallis Neville].

  • Neville, R. C. (Richard Cornwallis), Baron Braybrooke, 1820-1861
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sepulchra exposita, or an account of the opening of some barrows; with remarks upon miscellaneous antiquities; discovered in the neighbourhood of Audley End, Essex / [Richard Cornwallis Neville]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    22/150 (page 4)
    “ Every case where the mixed metal is discovered goes to prove, that these weapons were manufac¬ tured in and not imported into this island. This enquiry possesses great interest, and suggests seve¬ ral considerations. 1 believe all British bronze implements are made of copper and tin ; it is possi¬ ble that some may be composed of copper and zinc, but I have never met with an example. These two metals, copper and tin, were either imported sepa¬ rately, in a fused state, or found in this country. Now.on examination of the tin and copper mines of England, the former exhibit unequivocal signs of having been worked in ancient times; and there can be no doubt whatever that the Britons supplied themselves with tin from their own mines. With regard to copper the case is different. The geolo¬ gists all tell us that the copper mines in this coun¬ try exhibit no traces of ancient working. We are told by Pliny that the Britons imported their cop¬ per. It is probable all the weapons, implements, &c., of the Aboriginies, down to the time of the Roman invasion, were made of bronze. The quantity of copper imported then must have been very great; but the quantity of tin exported from the mines of Cornwall must have been also very large, for the nations of the ancient world severally made use of the mixture called bronze of copper and tin. With the exception of Spain, Britain is the only country that could supply tin. We have the evidence of a