Britain in the Bronze Age: Tin, Trade and Early Metalwork

The episode explores Britain’s Bronze Age, roughly 2500 to 800 BC, when copper smelting reached its peak and tin from Cornwall began feeding an emerging alloy—bronze—that transformed tools and weapons. It traces how the Bell Beaker culture spread across western Europe, opening maritime trade routes that linked Britain with Iberia, the Mediterranean and Scandinavia. While archaeology points to widespread ingot hoards and early industrialisation, historians debate the exact scale of interaction and its social impact. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices