MalawiCopper buried under a tree came from 800 km away.
Iron Age traders moved copper across southern Africa, the study reports.
Lead isotopes in the ingots matched the Kipushi mine in Congo, since Malawi has no copper deposits.
“It’s a complete mystery,” said Jay Stephens of New York University, on why someone buried them.
Three of the eight ingots found in 1967 are missing.
How each outlet framed it
- Phys.org
- reconstructs Iron Age trade network: copper ingots traced 800km from Malawi to Congo, reveals merchant choice of safer river route
Sources: Phys.org