How did metalwork change during the British Bronze Age?

During the British Bronze Age, metalworking evolved from the initial use of copper and arsenical bronze into the full and systematic adoption of tin-bronze technology. Britain was the first region in Europe to completely switch all metalwork to tin-bronze between 2200 and 2100 BC. This transition was initially associated with the arrival of the Bell Beaker culture and extensive demographic shifts.

What we know

• The British Bronze Age began with the use of copper and then bronze tools and artifacts. [2]
• Britain was the first region in Europe to fully adopt tin-bronze technology and switch all metalwork from copper and arsenical bronze to full tin-bronze in the period 2200-2100 BC. [3]
• The beginning of bronze metalworking in Britain is associated with the arrival of the Bell Beaker culture. [2]
• Southwestern Britain served as a major source of tin for mainland Europe and the Mediterranean. [2]

Still open

• Sources give slightly different starting windows for the British Bronze Age, citing either c. 2150 BC or c. 2500–2200 BC.

Where to go next

• what caused itWhat caused the massive genetic shift in Britain during the Beaker period?
• compared withHow did the British Bronze Age compare to the Nordic Bronze Age?
• whereWhat role did southwestern Britain play in European tin trade?
• how we knowWhat archaeological evidence defines the Wessex culture?
• whenHow did the transition to the British Iron Age occur?
• an unexpected connectionWhy did southeastern Europe experiment with tin bronze long before Britain?Tin bronze foil was produced on a small scale in the Balkans during the Chalcolithic era millennia before Britain adopted it, though that early production later vanished before being reintroduced.

Sources

• [1]British Bronze Age (Wikidata Q4096987) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Bronze Age Britain · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Bronze Age Europe · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Bronze Age · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Nordic Bronze Age · CC BY-SA 4.0