Parys Mountain

These hand hammers in Parys Mine in Anglesey are a bit special. I believe the workings here are Bronze Age and carbon dating of the charcoal like layers are consistent with that. The working was created by fire setting then rapidly cooled with water to fracture the rock which was then levered out using antlers. The work is surprisingly deep. The shaft must have filled in leaving the void below. When the 17thC Miners worked the vein here from underground they were very surprised (and no doubt disappointed) to find someone had got here before them. 3,500 years before them.