Greece’s mineral wealth has contributed enormously to its economic system and historical past. It additionally contributed to tradition: historic cash, vessels, and jewellery are among the many valuable objects that stay, testaments to each craftsmanship and financial may. And never least, Greece’s mineral wealth contributed to the traditional Greece’s power as a naval energy, shaping its future. Greek mining is of large historic significance, in addition to a vital supply of wealth in the present day.
Milos – obsidian, perlite, bentonite
The volcanic island of Milos has given it an interesting geological historical past. Obsidian, an igneous rock, is a volcanic glass, typically of deep black, typically grey. Extraordinarily onerous and in addition breaking with very sharp edges, it was wanted for glorious chopping instruments as early because the Neolithic period. It was a useful commodity, and Milos began to commerce it within the Bronze Age starting round 1800 BC.
Perlite, one other volcanic mineral, has many industrial purposes, particularly in building, making it additionally a useful export. Milos has been commercially mining perlite because the center of the twentieth century, mining some 500,000 tonnes annually.
Bentonite mines are performing at Aggeria. Bentonite has many purposes, together with clay and cosmetics. The Aggeria mine, specifically, is a website of geological marvel, an interesting place to go to when on Milos.
Sounion – lead, silver, and copper
Cape Sounion is most well-known for the Temple of Poseidon, however neighboring Lavrio is a vacation spot of monumental archaeological and geological curiosity – the traditional mines.
Even within the Neolothic age, the copper deposits and lead have been mined right here. Within the Bronze Age, (3200 BC). Lavrio’s mines have been a supply of wealth for Greece’s nice Bronze Age civilizations: the Mycenaean, the Minoan, and the Cycladic. All benefitted from the mines’ wealth of silver, lead and copper.
Within the Classical period, the mine was at its peak of productiveness. Hundreds of enslaved males labored at mining galena – used to extract silver, a particularly useful commodity and supply of wealth of Historical Athens. The wealth from silver contributed significantly to the glory and the dominance of the town. It was from this silver that the well-known “owl” coin of Historical Athens was minted. The silver funded the constructing of the “Triemes’ – the ships that prevailed over the Persians within the Battle of Salamina. This wealth additionally helped usually to fund the nice program of building and usually the cultural flourishing we now check with because the “Golden Age.”
The mines have been unfold over an unlimited space – 120 km2 from Mt Paneion, to Cape Sounio and Legraina. It’s each an archaeological website and a UNESCO World Heritage website.
After the Peloponnesian wars, Athens didn’t have sufficient enslaved males to proceed the brutal work of mining. The mines have been deserted in time, falling into gradual decline in the course of the third century BC, and shutting altogether by the sixth century AD. Nevertheless, in 1864 have been reopened once more by each Greek and French pursuits. Lead and silver have been mined, after which zinc, by way of the Nineteen Fifties. By 1978, the sources had been depleted.
Visiting websites of mineral wealth in the present day
The dramatic landscapes of quarries and mines could be very fascinating for a hike. In Milos, climbing at Nychia brings one to the location of obsidian mines, whereas at Aggeria one can go to the nonetheless lively bentonite mine with its astonishing colours in addition to sweeping views of the panorama from an remark level. When visiting the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, one may also prepare to see the traditional silver mines in Lavrio.
Mining in Greece
On account of the historical past within the case of Lavrio and Sounio, and naturally the placement – the mines of Sounio make an interesting vacation spot. On Milos, the big mineral wealth is likely one of the points of interest – this volcanic island, identified for its improbable and distinctive seashores, can be of minerological and geological curiosity inland.
Have you ever visited any mines, both historic or lively in the present day, whereas in Greece?
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