So, I was reading a thread on here, and in passing the subject of Roman mining was brought up, but I was wondering, how did the Romans and other ancient civilizations actually go about mining? How advanced was geology? At what point did mining begin to resemble what it does today?
AHQ: How did mining work in the ancient world?
- Thread starter KaiserWilhelm
- Start date
Simple but Roman mines were a proto-industrial complex fueled by Slaves, those sends to Mine their best consolation wad death
A Roman mining camp, 200 C.E., colorized.
The Romans were particularly advanced with hydraulic mining- cored out whole mountains in Spain.
But almost universally, it was put prisoners and slaves in the hole, recieve desired mineral (and dead people). Maybe, maybe the bronze age Cornish didn't do that.
But almost universally, it was put prisoners and slaves in the hole, recieve desired mineral (and dead people). Maybe, maybe the bronze age Cornish didn't do that.
This is kind of hard to answer due to the breadth of the question. The Romans dug both shaft and pit mines depending on the underlying geology. They also sometimes utilized an early form of hydraulic mining by diverting watercourses over the desired area or breaching specially built dams for the same purpose. The famed Athenian silver mines at Laurion similarly consisted of shafts and galleries.
Prehistoric mines in Britain are a mix of underground excavations and small surface pits. Some of those were dug with bone tools, I understand.
People have been mining for a very long time.