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Photo: Peterlewis at en.wikipedia, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
A since 2000, the Spiennes archaeological site is one of the oldest and largest centres for the extraction of flint in Europe. Dotted with thousands of mine shafts, the site extends over 250 acres at a distance of four miles from the city of Mons. Digging mine shafts to as much as 16 metres in depth, Neolithic man invented techniques to extract large slabs of flint, in some cases weighing hundreds of kilos. He also developed techniques for cutting the flint, which are now recognised as early evidence of human ingenuity. In the midst of beautiful greenery, the SILEX'S interpretive centre at the Neolithic flint mines of Spiennes allows visitors to understand all facets of this internationally renowned archaeological site. Visitors have the possibility to go on educational walks at surface level, visit the semi-permanent exhibition, and descend into a real Neolithic flint mine.
The Neolithic flint mines of Spiennes are among the largest and earliest Neolithic flint mines which survive in north-western Europe, located close to the Walloon village of Spiennes, southeast of Mons, Belgium. The mines were active during the mid and late Neolithic between 4,300 and 2,200 BC. Declared to be "remarkable for the diversity of technological solutions used for extraction" the site and its surroundings were inducted into the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 2000.
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