Maritime Cornwall opens 2012 BC: Cornwall and the Sea in the Bronze Age exhibition

13-04-12. The National Maritime Museum Cornwall will display the 4500-year-old Nebra Sky Disc for the first time in its new exhibition, 2012 BC: Cornwall and the Sea in the Bronze Age.

A single bronze disc decorated with gold symbols that represent the sun, moon, stars and a boat, the Nebra Sky Disc is the world's oldest representation of the cosmos.

It reveals a prehistoric view of the world that before its discovery had never been known to exist, and has single-handedly reformed our understanding of ancient European history.

Amazingly, the disc has local roots: the gold and tin components have been traced back to the Cornish mines of Canon Down.

The Nebra Sky Disc shows that in prehistoric times Cornwall's mines were a vital resource for bronze production, which required 10% tin and 90% copper. Both materials are found in abundance throughout the county.

The 2012BC exhibition goes on to trace Cornwall’s mining and shipbuilding heritage further back than ever before, revealing the extent of Cornish trade in Bronze Age Europe... Culture24


Link 2: Cornish Bronze Age boat project (Video)
Archaeologists in Cornwall believe they have evidence that shows Bronze Age traders were maritime travellers and used hollowed-out wooden boats to cross the English Channel and buy and sell metals.

The Nebra Sky Disc - thought to be one of the oldest Bronze Age representations of the cosmos - was found in a field in Germany, but gold symbols on the bronze disc have been identified as coming from the Carnon Down mines in Cornwall.

The type of boats used by the Bronze Age traders are being recreated for a project at the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth... (Video)


Related post: Archaeologists ready for Bronze Age boat build / Arqueólogos construirán una embarcación de la Edad del Bronce.


Actualización 03-11-12. Behind the scenes at Bronze Age boat build in Falmouth
Visitors can go behind the scenes of a project to build a replica Bronze Age boat at the Maritime Museum in Falmouth next Saturday.

The University of Exeter has been conducting the archaeology experiment at the museum since April, using Bronze Age tools to reconstruct a prehistoric boat.

On Saturday November 10, the Maritime Museum in Falmouth will be holding a special 2012BC event where visitors can see the results of the six month project to build the boat, and discover more about Cornwall and the sea in the Bronze Age, with activities, talks and Q&A sessions...