The Bronze Age in Britain is agreed to have taken place from around 2500 to 800 BC. Archaeologically, it was characterised by the use of copper, and eventually bronze. Copper was used more frequently in the earlier stages of the Bronze Age, but by around 2150 BC the prehistoric Britons had discovered how to make bronze – by mixing copper with a small amount of tin. Britain was, and still is, rich in tin mines – especially in the Southwest, namely, the areas of Cornwall and Devon. These rich natural resources brought Bronze Age Britain into extensive contact with other European cultures at the time – British tin became a very prosperous trade.
To learn more about art and culture in the Bronze Age, visit our relevant blog post: The Bronze Age.
