Thread by @OwsWills, In 1909, work commenced on a scheme to increase the capacity of [...]

In 1909, work commenced on a scheme to increase the capacity of Llyn Fawr, a large lake in the wild majesty of the Cynon Valley.

Two years into the project, they made a stunning discovery.

A Bronze and Iron Age treasure hoard of staggering proportions.

THREAD

The development of the Rhondda coalfield, its early prosperity largely driven by the needs of the American Civil War, led to a population boom between 1851 (951) and 1901 (113,735).

The increased water needs merited a tunnel through the mountain, pumping water from Llyn Fawr.

While increasing the lake's capacity to 200 million gallons, workmen chanced across the hoard, consisting of:

• Cauldrons
• Sickles
• Chisels
• Axes
• A razor
• A sword
• A spearhead
• Horse harnesses

— each dating to 750-600 BC, the very beginning of the Iron Age.

The huge cauldron was a key item of feasting equipment in use across Atlantic Europe between 1300 and 600 BC.

They were regarded as magical, ceremonial possessions, invested with symbolic powers of regeneration and fertility.

Around 1,000 BC, iron began replacing bronze.
The sword, spearhead and one of the sickles are very early iron experiments.

The blacksmith, familiar with bronze, was learning how to work with iron (early examples could be too soft to hold a sharp edge, or be extremely brittle).

Buried for over 2,500 years in waterlogged peat, the high quality artefacts were beautifully preserved in a complete, rather than broken state.

It may be that the shimmering waters at Llyn Fawr represented a boundary between this world and the next—perfect for a votive deposit.

Lending its name to 'Llyn Fawr Phase,' the end of the Bronze Age; the hoard is of global importance, capturing the crossover in the epochs of humanity.

It's displayed at @StFagans_Museum.

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