Re: [cybalist] The Tin Islands.

I read somewhere once (I can't remember where or when) that there was a major volcanic eruption of Hekla, Iceland, which had devastating effects on the British Isles. This has been dated to 1159BCE.

Perhaps the explanation of the shortage of tin, and the resulting use of iron, lies here.

Cheers

Dennis

----- Original Message -----

From: Mark Odegard

To: cybalist@egroups.com

Sent: Monday, 08 May, 2000 5:53 AM

Subject: [cybalist] The Tin Islands.

Piotr posted Herodotus' comments about the amber route and the tine route.

The Tin Islands are usually identified as the Scilly Isles off Great Britain.

My understanding, from my reading, is that the Iron Age gets it main impetus from a shortage of tin sometime before 1200 BCE. I get the idea the Hittites forged iron swords out of necessity rather than any desire to improve their armament.

What caused the 'shortage' of tin?. Movements of IE peoples? Proto-Celts? Inter-ethnic chaos on the plains of Hungary? Or was it that the mines were mined out, and no one had found a replacement.

And what can be said about 'the Tin Road' a la 'the Amber Road' or 'the Silk Road'. The Tin Road would have been east west, from the Seine to the upper Danube and thence east and south.