Neolithic farming communities across Western Europe mined high-quality flint at sites such as Spiennes in modern Belgium and Grand-Pressigny in modern France, then shaped it into axes and blades distributed far beyond the quarry sites. Petrographic analysis of stone tools recovered at distant settlements and burial sites allows archaeologists to trace specific pieces back to particular mines, showing exchange networks that spanned hundreds of kilometers. These networks moved alongside the spread of farming itself, linking communities across modern Britain, France, Belgium, and neighboring regions.
Relevance to Trade History
Shows how the spread of agriculture in Europe was accompanied by organized material exchange networks connecting otherwise dispersed farming settlements.
Read the full story in our article How Early Communities Exchanged Goods Before Currency.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre. See our Sources & Methodology page for how we select and verify references.