The Cwmystwyth mines are one of the most archaeologically important in Wales. Not only is it one of the most researched mining landscapes but it also boasts one of the best-preserved Bronze Age mines in Wales.
High in the hillside is the famous Comet Lode mine. During the Bronze Age, 4,000 years ago, stone hammers and antler picks were used to quarry the copper here. Hundreds of artefacts have been found during archaeological digs, including stone hammers, wooden handles, and rope. The most remarkable find was a well-preserved wooden trough, known as a launder, which was used to drain water away from the mine. It is the earliest launder found in Wales.
Excavations at the bottom of the hillside revealed evidence of Roman and medieval lead smelting, a process for extracting metal from the ore, above an earlier Bronze Age burial. No remains of a body were found, but a rare gold sun disc, called the Banc Tynddol sun disc, was discovered. It is the only one known in Wales and believed to be a button for burial clothing. It is now held at Amgueddfa Cymru/National Museum Wales, but you can see a replica at the Ceredigion Museum Aberystwyth.
Mining at this site persisted for thousands of years. Historical records show Strata Florida Abbey controlled mining here during the medieval period, but it was during the 1700s and 1800s that mining reached its peak, with many buildings and a tram network built in Cwmystwyth.