ABSTRACT
Wide variations in working conditions and in the social status of miners prevailed throughout the millennia of mining history. A Sicilian historian, Diodorus Siculus, has described some of the working conditions. He stated that the miners had to work constantly throughout the 24 hours of the day. They were guarded carefully to prevent their escape, usually by foreign soldiers with whom there was little possibility of communication because of the language barrier. During the Middle Ages, the feudal-manorial system developed, where the serfs were bonded to the landlord, primarily for protection against brigands and marauding tribes. As early as 1518, miners had free accident insurance, with continuing pay for up to eight weeks of incapacity. There were also welfare plans for the aged and the disabled, as well as for those who developed lung disease. The employment of women and children underground during this period provided room for serious reforms.
