Jun 15, 2026
ArchaeoTin conference presents three years of research on tin mining
The German-Czech Interreg project ArchaeoTin reached its culmination with an international closing conference held in Teplice on 9–10 June 2026. Around 130 participants from several countries gathered to discuss the results of three years of interdisciplinary research on the tin mining landscapes of the Saxon-Bohemian Ore Mountains. The conference showcased new insights into Bronze Age and historical tin mining, covering all aspects from placer deposits and extraction techniques to the environmental, landscape, and societal impacts of mining activities. The project combined state-of-the-art archaeological, geoscientific, and environmental methods, including LiDAR remote sensing, geophysical prospection, and palynological, anthracological, and geochemical analyses. Our research group contributed by reconstructing historical forest development through systematic investigations of historical charcoal kiln sites. Dendrochronological and anthracological analyses provided new insights into long-term changes in forest landscapes associated with millennia of tin mining.
A particular highlight of the project is the multimedia travelling exhibition „Zinn & Sein“, which has already attracted several thousand visitors. Coordinated by the Archaeological Heritage Office of Saxony, ArchaeoTin demonstrates how cross-border collaboration can generate new perspectives on the history of tin mining and the European Bronze Age. The conference proceedings will be published at the end of 2026.
