We are pleased to bring you “Metalla Oiassonis: Roman Mining in Northern Spain,” which is Episode 2 of the new documentary series Strata: Portraits of Humanity, produced by AntiquityNOW’s partner, Archaeological Legacy Institute.

“Metalla Oiassonis” is a film by Felix Ugarte Elkartea of Spain that introduces us to the complex world of ancient mining that the Romans developed at the ancient port city of Oiasso. Oiasso is situated within the modern city named Irun in Spanish and Gipuzkoa in Basque, which is located in Spain near the French border. In the western foothills of the Pyrenees next to the Bay of Biscay stands the granite massif called Aiako Harria in Basque and Peñas de Aya in Spanish. On these slopes one of the chief mining centers of the Iberian Peninsula lasted until modern times.

Strata: Portraits of Humanity is a monthly half-hour video series available online and on select cable channels. Strata is a showcase for unique and diverse stories about the world’s cultural heritage. Stories come from across the globe with segments produced by Archaeological Legacy Institute and dozens of producer and distributor partners around the world.

Click on the image below to view the documentary on The Archaeology Channel and scroll down to see the curriculum developed by AntiquityNOW to accompany “Metalla Oiassonis.”

Lesson Plan

Objectives

To introduce students to the concept of cultural heritage and its legacy today
To demonstrate to students how ancient people harnessed resources needed for their societies
To help students gain an understanding of how human culture was able to evolve from ancient to modern times based upon the effective use of these valuable resources
To promote language arts in expressing an original idea
To appreciate how art can reflect the emotional composition of the human experience
To promote critical thinking by analyzing different sides of a controversial issue
To encourage cross-cultural understanding of concepts and ways of thinking

Student Outcomes

To grasp the importance of cultural preservation by appreciating what we learn from ancient endeavor and how it applies today
To evaluate and think critically about consequential events surrounding cultural endeavor and advancement
To think critically about the individual and his/her societal role in a given context and a given time; to compare how ancient and modern societies view the individual in regard to his/her benefit to and status in a particular community
To experience how storytelling and art offer unique perspectives of personal experiences
To learn how to articulate different sides of a controversy and use persuasion and other rhetorical techniques to argue a position

Project Idea #1

Concept- Research the history of mining
Materials- Historical journals, textbooks
Activity- Make a list of the evidence of ancient mining according to the earliest cultures; how did these cultures use what they mined?

PROJECT IDEA #2

Concept- How did Roman ingenuity develop deep-vein mining?
Materials- Watch the video, “Metalla Oiassonis” and review information on Roman mining
Activity- What were the key elements of deep-vein mining?

PROJECT IDEA #3

Concept- Consider how these early cultures mined for ore and minerals
Materials- Research articles about the conditions under which early cultures mined
Activity- For a Group. Create an ancient culture. Describe the following:
- What is the terrain and geology of your culture? What would be its present day location?
- Think about who would be the miners. The artisans or people who make the products. The people who distribute/sell the products. Explain how these various classes of people would differ in lifestyle and their place in society.
- What products would you create from what was mined?
- How would you distribute your products to the citizens of your culture?
- Would you trade your product? Would this be by sea or land? What would be the advantage of having a product to trade?

PROJECT IDEA #4

Concept- Geoscientists document earth’s history through field studies and with technologies that reveal the birth and evolution of our planet
Materials- View the video Faces of Earth series, Part I: The Beginning by the American Geosciences Institute
Activity- What technology in the video interested you the most? Why? Can you think of other ways to use this technology, say, in space exploration?

PROJECT IDEA #5

Concept- How has mining evolved as an industry? What were the conditions like for miners and their families?
Materials-
- View “Reflections” Mining History
- View Living in a Coal Town, Hannah Taub’s school project inspired by her family’s history with mining
- Read current literature on modern mining practices and workers’ rights
Activities-
- Writing Activity: You are 15 years old and live in a coal mine town in the 1900s. Write about your life as if you were keeping a diary (5-6 entries).
- What has led to modern mining regulations?
  - Discuss the conditions in the ancient Roman mines
  - Discuss the conditions in mines 100 years ago
  - Compare with today’s conditions in mines

PROJECT IDEA #6

Concept- For thousands of years humans have used music to express their feelings about the world in which they lived
Materials-
- View “The Coal Miner Song” by Jimmy Joe Lee
- “Dig the Devil’s Blood: A Coal Miner’s Song” by GRAY music
Activity- How do these songs portray life in a coal town? What instruments are used? How do these songs convey feelings? What musical techniques or styles do the composers use to tell their stories? What descriptive words come to mind when listening to these two songs? How do these songs make you feel?

PROJECT IDEA #7

Concept- Mining has been important to the world’s energy production, but many worry about its effects on the environment
Materials-
- Research articles that explain the position of people who say mining is harmful to the environment
- Research articles on mining that explain the position taken by energy/coal companies regarding the environment and the benefits of mining