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THE LEAD-MINING INDUSTRY IN NORTH WALES IN ROMAN TIMES by GRAHAM WEBSTER, M.A., F.S.A., A.M.I.C.E., a.m.a. This note arises out of the discovery of a Roman block of lead at Carmel, near Holywell, in March 1950.1 This block of lead was found two feet below the surface in excavating the foundations of a new school, 100 yds. north east of the main cross roads in the centre of the village. The block, which is now in the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, is 23i inches long, 51 inches wide and 31 inches thick and weighs 1341 lbs. It bears a moulded inscription in a sunk panel reading-C. NIPI. ASCANI-with a leaf stop between the last two words. (pi. a.) Over 60 of these lead blocks, or pigs as they are more usually called, have been found in Britain and others on the Continent. In shape they take two different forms, those from Spain being semi-cylindrical, while the British examples are trough-shape with splayed sides and ends. Their weights are usually about 170- 190 lbs, as much as a man could lift. The pigs were made by pouring or ladling the molten lead into moulds into the base of which reversed letters had been stamped, so that the top of the pig bears normally a cast inscription often in a sunken panel. These inscriptions are very helpful in determining the date of the pigs. The majority of them are names and titles of Emperors, but there are also a small number of names of private individuals like that appearing on the Carmel example. As the most important by-product of the industry was silver, lead mining was, under the Romans, an Imperial monopoly, but under special circumstances, lessees were allowed to participate. The name on the Carmel block has been the subject of a short note by Mr. R. P. Wright, who points out that both the nomen NIPIVS, and the cognomen ASCANIUS, are rare. (An example of the latter occurs in the name of a sevir augusta/is, apparently of Verona4). It probably indicates that the Carmel ASCANIUS was of sevile origin, like the four known lessees associated with the industry in Derbyshire (nos. 1, 2, 3 and 8 ). Occasionally there are inscriptions on these pigs of a different character, struck cold with a die on the side of the pig. The writer has observed that one such stamp on a pig found at Stockbridge, Hants, and now in the British Museum* (no. 29, pi. b and c), bears the same name as that cast on the Carmel pig. i. First reported in the Chester Chronicle, 25/3/50. 2. J.R.S., xli, p. 142. For the abbreviations used in these footnotes, see page 18. 3. i.e. a member of a sacred college devoted to emperor-worship. 4. ILS., 6700, quoted. 5. see page 7. CJ £ .t vii, 1203,