Neolithic Flint Mines At Spiennes: What You Need To Know

The Neolithic flint mines of Spiennes, situated near the Walloon settlement of Spiennes, are one of the biggest and oldest ancient mines in the north-western region of Europe.

The mining sector remained operational in the late Neolithic period from 4300-2200 BC. These ancient mines are located on the two chalky plateaus towards the southeast region of mines at Spiennes Mons.

They encircle a region that is primarily used for farming. The site appears to be a large expanse of grasslands and meadows, littered with several pieces of carved flint. The location is a vast subterranean passageway connected to the ground via vertical flint mine shafts, excavated by Neolithic people or through prehistoric mining processes.

The Spiennes flint mines (Mons) are in the north-west region of Europe's oldest and largest grouping of ancient mines.

The mines had been in existence for millennia and the ruins clearly depict the progression and adaption of prehistoric mining methods, in an attempt to fully utilize enormous reserves of a resource that proved crucial for the manufacturing of weapons and cultural evolution overall.

They are especially notable for the number of technological mining methods they developed, as well as the reality that they are closely tied to an ecosystem that exists today.

Various methodologies or mining techniques were employed. The most striking and distinctive, however, was the excavation of mining shafts ranging in diameter from 2.62-3.93 ft (0.8-1.20 m) and having a deep range of 52.49 ft (16 m) during underground mining.

Therefore, Neolithic inhabitants may have traveled beneath strata constructed of enormous chunks of flint that were retrieved using a method known as 'striking' and 'exploitation'.

The concentration of shafts is high, with up to 5,000 throughout the Petit Spiennes region, covering 14 ha (140000 sq m), resulting in sectional trenches as well as shafts in certain areas. The site is also on the list of World Heritage Sites.

History

The initial investigations were carried out by Alphonse Briart, who was a mining engineer alongside two colleagues throughout the construction activity of the railway in 1867. In 1872, the findings were given to the International Prehistoric Congress at Brussels.

Archaeological discoveries have already been conducted on a sporadic basis till now. The Spiennes Mines are a 100 ha (250 ac) downland, located 4 mi (6.43 km) to the south-eastern region of Mons.

Countless shards of hammered flint litter the landscape, as well as several mining trenches that Neolithic inhabitants progressively transformed into vertical underground tunnels reaching levels of more than 33 ft (10 m).

A complex man-made system of caves lies beneath, approachable through the numerous shafts. The shift between open pit mining and subterranean mining seeking flint nodular is brilliantly depicted and chronicled. It represents a crucial moment in human invention, technology and cultural applicability, and advancement.

According to researchers, Neolithic mining techniques for carving flint, as well as extracting enormous blocks of flint weighing dozens of kilograms, have been discovered. Flint tools were used to extricate the nodular.

The flintstone was then knapped into axe-like raw forms before being smoothed to their desired value as polished stone axes. The tough ones were traded across a broad region, covering approximately 93 mi (150 km), and some were frequently refined at the ultimate target.

Polishing improves the finished piece, extending the life of the axe or the adze blade. The slashing process is further aided by the flat surface, which reduces the resistance between the hardwoods. Throughout the Neolithic period, axes were first employed for clearing forests and molding timber for construction purposes, including homes and boats.

Conservation

The government order, dated November 7, 1991, which safeguards simultaneously the whole as a location of flint mines, as well as the mining buildings as landmarks, designated the mines of Spiennes.

Furthermore, the property is included on Wallonia's List of Outstanding Heritage, the utmost degree of security afforded by Walloon law.

The strategy of the Mons-Borinage field, which involves the region mentioned for farming production, the communitarian scheme for advancement and natural order in the town of Mons, and legislative action again for the safeguard of depleting specific regions, is among several regulatory and legal regulations which encompass the safeguards of the mining area.

In terms of archaeologists, the Heritage Department's qualified personnel conduct minimal examinations. The goal is to become more acquainted with the monument while also preserving it as an archeology preserve. The very existence of archaeologists is a form of monitoring in and of themselves at the Neolithic flint mines at Spiennes (Mons).

A Scientific Committee, a Steering Committee, as well as a Management Committee were established and formed when the Walloon Government decided on August 25, 2011, to submit an action plan for the Walloon buildings to be placed on the list of World Heritage Sites. The site was more active during the late Neolithic period.

Mining Process

Along with at several comparable locations, including Rijckholt-St Geer-truid, Krzemionki Opatowskie, and Grimes Graves, several mining methods were utilized at Spiennes for hard rocks, depending on the geological characteristics of the formations.

The documentation for the simplest exploitation mechanisms is lacking. Several are documented and just one was indeed the subject of Verheyleweghen's comprehensive investigations in 1953. Others had been discovered by coincidence throughout De Pauw's numerous expeditions, including Van Overloop from 1889-1890, Hubert of 1976, including his findings of 1969, that were almost partially recovered.

Furthermore, Verheyleweghen's provided information on the methodologies is just a smattering. Above the cliff above the La Trouille River, along the western boundary of Camp-à-Cayaux, evidence of mining and manufacture was discovered. Horizontal chambers carved right further into the hill were visible throughout the ruins.

Every other part was occupied by an initial coating of flint debris labeled 'workshop', followed by a coating of yellow silt combined with stones and chalk particles that was devoid of any organic or knapped stone remnants. The exploitation system was studied in this research by J. Verheyleweghen in 1953.

The ceiling of the very first exploration section was razed to the ground to construct a modern unit after the initial extracting and manufacturing section was depleted.

Following construction in the late 19th century, a passage was excavated straight through the hill and was uncovered nearby. Consequently, from 1889-1890, L. De Pauw, as well as E. Van Overloop, concentrated much more on the chronology of the crafts associated with the exhibition, than on the exploitation strategy.

FAQs

What is special about Neolithic Flint Mines at Spiennes?

The site is a massive underground corridor that connects to the surface by vertical flint mine shafts dug by Neolithic humans or prehistoric mining techniques. The Spiennes flint mines (Mons) are Europe's oldest and largest assemblage of ancient mines, located in the northwestern part of the continent.

Where is Neolithic Flint Mines at Spiennes located?

Neolithic Flint Mines at Spiennes is located on the two chalky plateaus towards the south-east region of mines at Spiennes Mons in Belgium.

Which mining process was used?

The exploitative and striking method were used for the mining process at this World Heritage Site.