Minería prehistórica del cobre en el reborde septentrional de los Picos de Europa: las olvidadas labores de «El Milagro» (Onís, Asturias)

Abstract

The discovery in the mid-19^th century of the prehistoric working of El Milagro, in Asturias, constituted a noteworthy event on account of its novelty and then exceptional character. However, industrial mining at the same site produced the almost complete destruction of the primitive workings and the parallel loss or dispersion of tools and human skeletons found in the old galleries.

This study brings together and assesses all the information currently available on the mining complex, from the stone and deer antler tools to copper axes and even human skeletons. The paper also considers mining techniques (such as fire setting) and a series of radiocarbon dates which establish a long period of working throughout the Copper Age and Early Bronze Age.