Credit: Johan Ling
New Spanish mine discoveries reveal large-scale Bronze Age metal networks.
During a February archaeological survey, a team from the Maritime Encounters program at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden identified six previously undocumented Bronze Age mines in Extremadura, a region in southwestern Spain. These findings could help clarify where the metal used in Scandinavian Bronze Age artifacts originally came from.
The survey was conducted from February 9 to 16 in the area surrounding Cabeza del Buey in Badajoz province, Spain. Researchers worked in partnership with the Universidad de Sevilla and archaeologists from the Museo Arqueológico Provincial de Badajoz.
During the fieldwork, archaeologists identified six Bronze Age mining sites. These ranged from small extraction zones to larger, more complex mining areas. One site stood out in particular, where about 80 grooved stone axes were uncovered. These tools were used to break and process ore.
The mines contain copper, lead, and silver, all of which played key roles in Bronze Age economies and supported long-distance trade networks.
Evidence of Extensive Metal Extraction Networks
The survey builds on earlier work from the Maritime Encounters project and related archaeological research led by Professor Johan Ling at the University of Gothenburg. Previous studies using lead isotope and chemical analysis of Scandinavian Bronze Age artifacts have shown that much of the metal likely came from southwestern Spain.
“The newly discovered Bronze Age mines identified over the past ten years—both by other research teams and through the approximately 20 new mines documented by our research group between 2024 and 2026—are transforming our understanding of how interconnected Europe was already 3,000 years ago,” says Johan Ling, Professor of Archaeology.
These discoveries demonstrate that metal extraction in southwestern Europe was far more extensive and organized than previously recognized, and they provide a concrete archaeological context for the chemical and isotopic analyses that point to long-distance connections during the Bronze Age,” he continues.
Facts/The Extremadura Survey
- Location: Area around Cabeza del Buey, Province of Badajoz, Spain
- Dates: February 9–16
- Project: Maritime Encounters
- Partners: Universidad de Sevilla and Museo Arqueológico Provincial de Badajoz
- Result: Six previously unregistered Bronze Age mines
- Notable find: Approximately 80 grooved stone axes used for ore processing
- Metals: copper, lead, and silver
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