The Craft Of The Miner, Agricola’s Masterpiece

This exhibition features the first edition copy of the ancient mining manual De Re Metallica by Georgius Agricola, and concentrates on its author and the book itself, exploring why it was written and how it became such an important manual in mining history. Roly Keating, Chief Executive of the British Library will open the exhibition on Monday 13 October.

Written over 450 years ago, De Re Metallica, was first published in 1556 in Basel, Switzerland and remained one of the most influential texts on mining for almost 200 years. The book, which is written for mining metal and minerals, is still relevant to the mining of coal and resonates as a ‘masterpiece’ in the industry.

The exhibition delves into mining manuals, self-help and training in mining methods up to the nineteenth century. Many items from the Museum’s collection, including texts from the library and mining tools, alongside fun child-friendly activities such as jigsaws, drawing and colouring decorated (illuminated) letters, and playing a magnetic Latin word game all complement the woodcut images illustrating mining life in medieval Germany.