In what's been dubbed Britain's Klondike, the south-west corner of England saw its very own gold rush 4,500 years ago.
By studying precious artefacts, archaeologists have found evidence of an ancient gold trading route between Devon, Cornwall and Ireland.
It is estimated that up to 440 lbs (200kg) of gold worth more than £5 million ($7.6 million) today was found in rivers in the regions between the 22nd and 18th centuries BC.
Experts at the Universities of Southampton and Bristol said that large amounts of gold were exported to Ireland.
They used a new technique to measure the chemical composition of some of the earliest gold artefacts in Ireland, to conclude they were made with imported gold from Cornwall, not Irish gold, as previously thought.
Lead author Dr Chris Standish of the University of Southampton explained: 'This is an unexpected and particularly interesting result as it suggests that Bronze Age gold workers in Ireland were making artefacts out of material sourced from outside of the country, despite the existence of a number of easily-accessible and rich gold deposits found locally.'
The prehistoric gold rush in CORNWALL: 'Britain's Klondike' saw precious metals in Cornish rivers traded with Ireland in the Early Bronze Age
Archaeologists measured chemical composition of gold Bronze Age items
Found Cornish gold was used in Irish-made necklaces, suggesting an ancient gold trading route between south west England and Ireland
Estimated 440 lbs (200gkg) of gold was collected in ancient Cornish rivers
Gold is believed to have been a by-product of tin collected in rivers
By Sarah Griffiths for MailOnline
5 June 2015
Daily Mail
In what's been dubbed Britain's Klondike, the south-west corner of England saw its very own gold rush 4,500 years ago.
By studying precious artefacts, archaeologists have found evidence of an ancient gold trading route between Devon, Cornwall and Ireland.
It is estimated that up to 440 lbs (200kg) of gold worth more than £5 million ($7.6 million) today was found in rivers in the regions between the 22nd and 18th centuries BC.
By studying precious artefacts, such as this lunula (necklace) archaeologists have found evidence of an ancient gold trading route between Devon, Cornwall and Ireland in the early Bronze Age
Experts at the Universities of Southampton and Bristol said that large amounts of gold were exported to Ireland.
They used a new technique to measure the chemical composition of some of the earliest gold artefacts in Ireland, to conclude they were made with imported gold from Cornwall, not Irish gold, as previously thought.
Lead author Dr Chris Standish of the University of Southampton explained: 'This is an unexpected and particularly interesting result as it suggests that Bronze Age gold workers in Ireland were making artefacts out of material sourced from outside of the country, despite the existence of a number of easily-accessible and rich gold deposits found locally.'
'It is unlikely that knowledge of how to extract gold didn't exist in Ireland, as we see large scale exploitation of other metals.
'It is more probable that an "exotic" origin was cherished as a key property of gold and was an important reason behind why it was imported for production.'
It is estimated that up to 440 lbs (200kg) of gold worth over £5 million today was found in rivers in Devon and Cornwall (the River Fowey pictured) between the 22nd and 18th centuries BC
Experts used an advanced technique called laser ablation mass spectrometry to sample gold from 50 early Bronze Age artefacts including basket ornaments, discs and lunula - necklaces - and plaques (pictured) in the collections of the National Museum of Ireland to conclude the gold used in them came from Cornwall
The Cornish trading of gold has been compared to the Klondike Gold Rush of the 19th century in which thousands of prospectors descended on the Klondike near Dawson City in the Yukon Territory, Canada. However, these prospectors mined and dug into ore rather than sifted from rivers
The researchers used an advanced technique called laser ablation mass spectrometry to sample gold from 50 early Bronze Age artefacts.
This included basket ornaments, discs and lunula – necklaces - in the collections of the National Museum of Ireland.
They measured isotopes of lead in tiny fragments and made a comparison with the composition of gold deposits found in a variety of locations.
They concluded the gold in the objects likely originated from Cornwall, rather than Ireland, and was possibly extracted and traded as a by-product of the tin mining industry.
Tin was combined with copper by ancient metal workers to create bronze - the alloy technology giving the period its name.
Dr Standish told The Independent: 'The available evidence strongly suggests that in Bronze Age Cornwall and west Devon, tin wasn't obtained through mining, but was instead extracted from the area's rivers, probably through panning or sluicing systems'.
'But, as well as finding tin in the sand and gravels of the streams and rivers, they also found gold.'
The study implies gold was leaving the region because those who found it felt it was of more value to trade it in for other 'desirable' goods, than to keep it. A gold lunula and disks are shown left and a gold grain, right
Fine sheepskins may have been used to trap tiny grains of tin and gold, which may have been found in a ratio of 1:5,000, making tin far more common. Here, a researcher attempts to pan for gold in an Irish river
Fine sheepskins may have been used to trap tiny grains of tin and gold, which may have been found in a ratio of 1:5,000, making tin far more common.
Dr Standish added: 'Perhaps what is most interesting is that during this time, compared to Ireland, there appears to be much less gold circulating in Cornwall and southern Britain.'
'This implies gold was leaving the region because those who found it felt it was of more value to trade it in for other 'desirable' goods - rather than keep it.'
A new Cornish gold rush is unlikely today because gold deposits in Cornish rivers are not as rich as they were in the Bronze Age, according to geologist and author Simon Camm. This map shows Cornwall highlighted in red, and its proximity to the trade routes for Ireland
It appears gold was less valuable to early Bronze Age people living in Cornwall than tin. This image shows the summit of Stowe's Hill and two Bronze Age enclosures, collectively known as Stowe's Pound. The larger one contains at least 39 hut circles and there are natural granite tors, one known as the Devil's Chair (shown)
While gold is today linked to economic wealth, in some ancient societies, it was seen to have supernatural powers to underpin religious systems rather than economies.
Co-author Dr Alistair Pike explained the results show 'there was no universal value of gold, at least until perhaps the first gold coins started to appear nearly two thousand years later.'
'Prehistoric economies were driven by factors more complex than the trade of commodities -belief systems clearly played a major role.'
A new Cornish gold rush is unlikely today because gold deposits in Cornish rivers are not as rich as they were in the Bronze Age, according to geologist and author Simon Camm.
He said that in a good year, a Bronze Age prospector could have found up to 10.5 ounces (300 grams) of gold.
While it's thought that 440 lbs (200kg) were extracted from rivers in the regions in the Bronze Age, just 270 artefacts from the period have ever been found.
They include crescent-shaped breast plates that may have been worn to worship the sun by local religious leaders or even worn by wooden idols.
The small number of original artefacts may be because other artefacts were melted down and the gold re-used, or were buried as offerings to Bronze Age priests
HOW WAS GOLD EXTRACTED?
Evidence suggests that in Bronze Age Cornwall and Devon, tin wasn't obtained though mining, but was instead extracted from rivers through panning.
People would also have found grains of gold which they collected.
Fine sheepskins may have been used to trap tiny grains of tin and gold, which may have been found in a ratio of 1:5,000, making tin far more common.
Geologist and author Simon Camm said that in a good year, a Bronze Age prospector could have found up to 10.5oz (300 grams) of gold.
While it's thought that 440 lbs (200kg) of gold was extracted from rivers in the regions in the Bronze Age, just 270 artefacts from the period have ever been found.
HOW WAS THE GOLD ANALYSED?
Experts at the Universities of Southampton and Bristol used a new technique to measure the chemical composition of some of the earliest gold artefacts in Ireland.
They used a method called laser ablation mass spectrometry to sample gold from 50 early Bronze Age artefacts including basket ornaments, discs and lunula – necklaces - in the collections of the National Museum of Ireland.
The team measured isotopes of lead in tiny fragments and made a comparison with the composition of gold deposits found in a variety of locations.
They concluded the gold in the objects probably originates from Cornwall, rather than Ireland and was possibly extracted and traded as a by-product of the tin mining industry.
The prehistoric gold rush in CORNWALL: Precious metal in Cornish rivers was traded with Ireland during the Early Bronze Age | Daily Mail Online
By studying precious artefacts, archaeologists have found evidence of an ancient gold trading route between Devon, Cornwall and Ireland.
It is estimated that up to 440 lbs (200kg) of gold worth more than £5 million ($7.6 million) today was found in rivers in the regions between the 22nd and 18th centuries BC.
Experts at the Universities of Southampton and Bristol said that large amounts of gold were exported to Ireland.
They used a new technique to measure the chemical composition of some of the earliest gold artefacts in Ireland, to conclude they were made with imported gold from Cornwall, not Irish gold, as previously thought.
Lead author Dr Chris Standish of the University of Southampton explained: 'This is an unexpected and particularly interesting result as it suggests that Bronze Age gold workers in Ireland were making artefacts out of material sourced from outside of the country, despite the existence of a number of easily-accessible and rich gold deposits found locally.'
The prehistoric gold rush in CORNWALL: 'Britain's Klondike' saw precious metals in Cornish rivers traded with Ireland in the Early Bronze Age
Archaeologists measured chemical composition of gold Bronze Age items
Found Cornish gold was used in Irish-made necklaces, suggesting an ancient gold trading route between south west England and Ireland
Estimated 440 lbs (200gkg) of gold was collected in ancient Cornish rivers
Gold is believed to have been a by-product of tin collected in rivers
By Sarah Griffiths for MailOnline
5 June 2015
Daily Mail
In what's been dubbed Britain's Klondike, the south-west corner of England saw its very own gold rush 4,500 years ago.
By studying precious artefacts, archaeologists have found evidence of an ancient gold trading route between Devon, Cornwall and Ireland.
It is estimated that up to 440 lbs (200kg) of gold worth more than £5 million ($7.6 million) today was found in rivers in the regions between the 22nd and 18th centuries BC.
By studying precious artefacts, such as this lunula (necklace) archaeologists have found evidence of an ancient gold trading route between Devon, Cornwall and Ireland in the early Bronze Age
Experts at the Universities of Southampton and Bristol said that large amounts of gold were exported to Ireland.
They used a new technique to measure the chemical composition of some of the earliest gold artefacts in Ireland, to conclude they were made with imported gold from Cornwall, not Irish gold, as previously thought.
Lead author Dr Chris Standish of the University of Southampton explained: 'This is an unexpected and particularly interesting result as it suggests that Bronze Age gold workers in Ireland were making artefacts out of material sourced from outside of the country, despite the existence of a number of easily-accessible and rich gold deposits found locally.'
'It is unlikely that knowledge of how to extract gold didn't exist in Ireland, as we see large scale exploitation of other metals.
'It is more probable that an "exotic" origin was cherished as a key property of gold and was an important reason behind why it was imported for production.'
It is estimated that up to 440 lbs (200kg) of gold worth over £5 million today was found in rivers in Devon and Cornwall (the River Fowey pictured) between the 22nd and 18th centuries BC
Experts used an advanced technique called laser ablation mass spectrometry to sample gold from 50 early Bronze Age artefacts including basket ornaments, discs and lunula - necklaces - and plaques (pictured) in the collections of the National Museum of Ireland to conclude the gold used in them came from Cornwall
The Cornish trading of gold has been compared to the Klondike Gold Rush of the 19th century in which thousands of prospectors descended on the Klondike near Dawson City in the Yukon Territory, Canada. However, these prospectors mined and dug into ore rather than sifted from rivers
The researchers used an advanced technique called laser ablation mass spectrometry to sample gold from 50 early Bronze Age artefacts.
This included basket ornaments, discs and lunula – necklaces - in the collections of the National Museum of Ireland.
They measured isotopes of lead in tiny fragments and made a comparison with the composition of gold deposits found in a variety of locations.
They concluded the gold in the objects likely originated from Cornwall, rather than Ireland, and was possibly extracted and traded as a by-product of the tin mining industry.
Tin was combined with copper by ancient metal workers to create bronze - the alloy technology giving the period its name.
Dr Standish told The Independent: 'The available evidence strongly suggests that in Bronze Age Cornwall and west Devon, tin wasn't obtained through mining, but was instead extracted from the area's rivers, probably through panning or sluicing systems'.
'But, as well as finding tin in the sand and gravels of the streams and rivers, they also found gold.'
The study implies gold was leaving the region because those who found it felt it was of more value to trade it in for other 'desirable' goods, than to keep it. A gold lunula and disks are shown left and a gold grain, right
Fine sheepskins may have been used to trap tiny grains of tin and gold, which may have been found in a ratio of 1:5,000, making tin far more common. Here, a researcher attempts to pan for gold in an Irish river
Fine sheepskins may have been used to trap tiny grains of tin and gold, which may have been found in a ratio of 1:5,000, making tin far more common.
Dr Standish added: 'Perhaps what is most interesting is that during this time, compared to Ireland, there appears to be much less gold circulating in Cornwall and southern Britain.'
'This implies gold was leaving the region because those who found it felt it was of more value to trade it in for other 'desirable' goods - rather than keep it.'
A new Cornish gold rush is unlikely today because gold deposits in Cornish rivers are not as rich as they were in the Bronze Age, according to geologist and author Simon Camm. This map shows Cornwall highlighted in red, and its proximity to the trade routes for Ireland
It appears gold was less valuable to early Bronze Age people living in Cornwall than tin. This image shows the summit of Stowe's Hill and two Bronze Age enclosures, collectively known as Stowe's Pound. The larger one contains at least 39 hut circles and there are natural granite tors, one known as the Devil's Chair (shown)
While gold is today linked to economic wealth, in some ancient societies, it was seen to have supernatural powers to underpin religious systems rather than economies.
Co-author Dr Alistair Pike explained the results show 'there was no universal value of gold, at least until perhaps the first gold coins started to appear nearly two thousand years later.'
'Prehistoric economies were driven by factors more complex than the trade of commodities -belief systems clearly played a major role.'
A new Cornish gold rush is unlikely today because gold deposits in Cornish rivers are not as rich as they were in the Bronze Age, according to geologist and author Simon Camm.
He said that in a good year, a Bronze Age prospector could have found up to 10.5 ounces (300 grams) of gold.
While it's thought that 440 lbs (200kg) were extracted from rivers in the regions in the Bronze Age, just 270 artefacts from the period have ever been found.
They include crescent-shaped breast plates that may have been worn to worship the sun by local religious leaders or even worn by wooden idols.
The small number of original artefacts may be because other artefacts were melted down and the gold re-used, or were buried as offerings to Bronze Age priests
HOW WAS GOLD EXTRACTED?
Evidence suggests that in Bronze Age Cornwall and Devon, tin wasn't obtained though mining, but was instead extracted from rivers through panning.
People would also have found grains of gold which they collected.
Fine sheepskins may have been used to trap tiny grains of tin and gold, which may have been found in a ratio of 1:5,000, making tin far more common.
Geologist and author Simon Camm said that in a good year, a Bronze Age prospector could have found up to 10.5oz (300 grams) of gold.
While it's thought that 440 lbs (200kg) of gold was extracted from rivers in the regions in the Bronze Age, just 270 artefacts from the period have ever been found.
HOW WAS THE GOLD ANALYSED?
Experts at the Universities of Southampton and Bristol used a new technique to measure the chemical composition of some of the earliest gold artefacts in Ireland.
They used a method called laser ablation mass spectrometry to sample gold from 50 early Bronze Age artefacts including basket ornaments, discs and lunula – necklaces - in the collections of the National Museum of Ireland.
The team measured isotopes of lead in tiny fragments and made a comparison with the composition of gold deposits found in a variety of locations.
They concluded the gold in the objects probably originates from Cornwall, rather than Ireland and was possibly extracted and traded as a by-product of the tin mining industry.
The prehistoric gold rush in CORNWALL: Precious metal in Cornish rivers was traded with Ireland during the Early Bronze Age | Daily Mail Online
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