I wish I did hand-waving

[sollers]

I have just hit a major stumbling block; not writer's block in the usual sense but a practical problem.

Where, in Sussex in the 490s, would Our Hero get bronze from? He could get iron from the old workings, but short of getting the women to melt down their brooches I can't see where he could get enough for what he needs - copper is in North Wales (a long way off and hostile territory) and tin is in Cornwall (also hostile territory).

Comments

[green_knight]

How much bronze does he need, and what does he need it for?

Sounds like he needs to intercept trade - if you can work out who else would pay good money for bronze and who might have enough clout to overcome the hostility problems you probably have the person(s) who can be bribed to divert some to your character.

Failing that, an old bronze sword or vessel?

[sollers]

He needs enough for a bronze ram's head to be cast for a battering ram - that was always done. And unfortunately, as the archaeology makes very clear, the east part of Britain at the time had no access to any trade with copper or tin producing areas. Tin from Cornwall went to Constantinople, but didn't go near Sussex, Kent or East Anglia.

Bronze swords hadn't been used for something like 1,500 years, so weren't much in evidence, and bronze vessels were so high prestige that they seem to have been the property of kings of far higher status than this one.

At the moment I'm going with a suggestion on lj - a hoard of coins like the Frome Hoard. That might be enough.

At the moment I'm thi