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Philip Marsden explores the story of man’s relationship with metals in a journey that takes him from his childhood rock-hunting in Somerset to the search for gold in Georgia.

Philip Marsden’s passion for rocks dates back to his boyhood, when he first discovered the excitement of searching for crystals and fossils. In Under a Metal Sky, he takes us on a captivating journey across Europe through the history of metals, revealing how they became an engine of culture, trade and technology that changed our relationship with the natural world.

In the first episode, Philip reveals the beginnings of his fascination with geology as he encountered the wonders of a hidden world as a young boy. It was the start of a quest that was spiritual as well as physical.

He also explores man’s discovery of ochre - the medium that gave birth to art in cave paintings and the earliest abstract thought. The creative possibilities of ochre marked the beginning of a search for other materials buried underground that would bring even greater rewards, and also dangers, for civilization.

Read by Adrian Lukis
Produced and Abridged by Jo Glanville
Editor: Jo Rowntree
Studio Engineer: Jon Calver

A Loftus Media production for ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 4

14 minutes

Last on

Tue 18 Feb 2025 00:30

Broadcasts

  • Mon 17 Feb 2025 11:45
  • Tue 18 Feb 2025 00:30