Bronze Axe Casting Workshop

A truly unique opportunity to experience Bronze Age metalworking in one of the most significant locations to the Bronze Age in the UK! Join experimental archaeologist, Dr James Dilley as he guides you through the process our ancestors perfected over 4000 years ago.

Participants will get the hands-on chance to prepare a mould, working the leather bellows and cast liquid bronze to produce a replica axehead to take home!

Following a safety briefing, workshop attendees will prepare their own mould, before working the leather bellows on the charcoal fuelled furnace to melt copper and tin. They will then cast the liquid metal into their prepared moulds to produce a replica early bronze age axe head to take home at the end of the day. Students can then begin decorating the axe, filing off the casting flash and start cleaning the surfaces of the axe.

There will be short talk over lunch about the life and times of Bronze Age people in Europe. It will cover our current understanding of technology in the Bronze Age and how it is reflected in archaeology. It will be an informal talk with lots of scope for open discussion.

Entry to the mines is included in the workshop ticket price. More information about the mines can be found here: https://www.greatormemines.info/

Guidance will be on-hand at all times. Appropriate clothing must be worn for manual work (fully covered shoes and trousers etc).

Refreshments can be purchased from the visitor centre, Workshop attendees are encouraged to bring their own lunch. .

Attendees must be over 16.