Medieval teeth reveal early lead mining in Derbyshire Peak District

Archaeologists have used human tooth enamel to determine that post-Roman lead production in England’s Derbyshire Peak District was established by the mid-seventh century. The study, published in the journal Antiquity, utilized dental remains from three distinct cemetery populations: Wigber Low (7th century), Joule Yard at Castleton (7th to 11th centuries), and Spital Field at Castleton (12th to 15th centuries).

Because tooth enamel does not remodel throughout life, it serves as a biological record of childhood exposure. Researchers found that lead concentrations in these early mining communities matched or exceeded levels seen in much later industrialized cities. This discovery provides definitive evidence of the early medieval lead industry's timeline, which was previously difficult to trace because manufacturers between the 16th and 19th centuries frequently re-smelted ancient lead waste, destroying much of the physical industrial evidence.