Tin is a vital component in the production of bronze. Its addition to copper reduces the melting point of the metal. The resultant alloy is smoother, flows when liquid, and can be cast, and is denser when it solidifies, making for a much harder material than basic copper. To the average Bronze Age farmer, the smith must have been like a magician, turning rocks into amazing and gleaming objects.
As metals go, tin is relatively rare in Europe and the Middle East. When the local supplies of tin in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East began to run out, new trade networks developed to seek out new sources. This, in turn, undoubtedly drove the development of European Bronze Age cultures. Trade contacts extended from Sweden to the Mediterranean.
There are several large
