All articles tagged with #malachite
Archaeologists excavating Cave 338 in the high Pyrenees have uncovered clues of repeated, long-term copper production dating from about 3500 BCE to 1000 BCE, including 23 hearths and crushed green mineral fragments likely malachite, a child’s tooth and other artefacts suggesting a mining camp and possibly burial use; only 6 square meters have been excavated so far with plans to go deeper.
In a high-altitude Pyrenees cave (2,235 m) called Cova 338, archaeologists found 23 fire pits, malachite fragments, pottery, bones, and ornaments—plus remains of a child—showing repeated, organized visits over more than 4,000 years (from the late Neolithic to the Bronze Age). The site appears to have been used to heat and process copper-bearing rock, not necessarily smelted there, indicating sophisticated resource extraction and knowledge transfer in an otherwise remote location. Future work aims to confirm ore sources and the full metallurgical sequence.
A high-altitude Pyrenees cave, Cova 338, shows a 5,500–6,000-year pattern of seasonal copper processing with 23 hearths and malachite fragments, indicating deliberate mining at altitude by Iberian communities; the site also yielded a child's remains and unique ornaments, highlighting complex alpine mobility and trade.
Archaeologists excavating Cave 338 in the eastern Pyrenees uncovered 23 hearths with crushed green mineral fragments resembling malachite, indicating deliberate copper processing at a high-altitude site used repeatedly over about 2,000 years. The stratigraphy includes a 6,000-year-old oldest layer and layers dated roughly 5,500–4,000 years ago and ~3,000 years ago, along with human remains and pendants, suggesting possible burial or ritual use. The findings challenge the notion that high mountains were only marginal habitats for prehistoric peoples, and researchers plan further work to confirm malachite’s source and deepen the site’s chronology.
Archaeologists excavating Cave 338 in the Pyrenees uncovered burnt green malachite fragments, hearths, jewelry, and human remains dating roughly 5,500 to 4,000 years ago, suggesting prehistoric people intermittently used the high-altitude cave to process copper rather than merely passing through, challenging the idea that mountains were marginal for ancient economies.
Archaeologists excavating a high-altitude cave in Girona, Spain (2,235 m/7,333 ft) uncovered nearly 200 malachite fragments, charcoal-rich pits, and other artifacts suggesting prehistoric people repeatedly processed green copper ore to extract copper, constituting a Copper Age copper-smelting camp active for more than 4,000 years, with intensive use between 3600–2400 BCE. The finds—human remains, animal bones, pottery, and cultural ornaments—indicate long-term occupation and resource exploitation in the Pyrenees, and researchers plan to confirm the malachite identification and continue excavations to understand the site’s purpose.
In LEGO Fortnite, players can obtain Malachite, a valuable resource used for crafting, by mining green stones found on ledges in the Frostlands. To reach some of the harder-to-reach deposits, players should bring materials to build stairs. Cold Resistance food like Spicy Peppers is also recommended.