Antiquity· 2026Q1
Social dynamics of toxic metal industry in medieval Europe: Peak District lead production, AD 600–1500
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Tooth enamel analysis reveals large-scale lead production in England's Peak District began by the mid-7th century, with significant contamination around mines by the mid-8th century.
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Key points
- Lead smelting in the Peak District began in the mid-7th century AD.
- Large-scale production and contamination around mines were established by the mid-8th century AD.
- Tooth enamel lead concentrations, linked to radiocarbon dates, were used to track production and contamination.
- The study suggests a method for identifying other medieval lead/silver producing communities.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
The Derbyshire Peak District in central England was one of the largest lead-producing regions in medieval Europe, yet the early history of production is obscure. Here, the authors use tooth-enamel-based lead concentrations accumulated in childhood in three cemeteries, linked to radiocarbon dates, to identify the development of post-Roman lead smelting from the mid-seventh century, with large-scale production and contamination around key mines, including Castleton, by the mid-eighth century AD. Intra- and inter-site comparisons of lead concentrations hint at the social dynamics of producer communities that may provide a benchmark for identifying lead- and silver-producing communities in medieval Europe more widely.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Antiquity, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Archeology (Social Sciences)
ArcheologySocial Sciences