Copper Blog

Metallurgy refers to the science of shaping raw metals into useful objects, such as tools or jewelry. This process has been carried out on planet Earth for thousands of years, dating back to the year 6000 B.C. While primitive methods of reshaping metal such as pounding and chipping were originally used, mankind began to progress in their use of metal after discovering that exposing the material to heat allowed them to fashion it into just about any shape they wanted.  

During the years between the Stone Age and the Bronze Age, copper became the most widely used metal in civilization for a time. This period is referred to as the Copper Age or the Chalcolithic Period. The word "chalcolithic" is a combination of the Greek words for "copper" and "stone". During this era, copper metallurgy was discovered and ancient cultures found that they could fashion copper into useful instruments such as tools, furnishing and ornaments.

Since copper is retrieved from natural mines, it generally contains impurities in its raw state. As metallurgical technology advanced, metalworkers learned that they could remove the impure materials from copper by exposing the metal to higher temperatures. This process came to be known as smelting. Once the copper was refined, it could be poured into molds and cast into a variety of shapes for use.

Historians are not certain when the process of smelting was first invented, but archaeologists have discovered copper artifacts in Egypt that date back to the year 3600 B.C. Originally these items were only available to royalty and members of high society, but were later passed down to the common people. Despite these findings in the Nile valley, many historians believe that copper smelting originated hundreds of years earlier in Western Asia.

Copper was a great choice for early metalworking, because of its durability and its malleability which made it easy to shape. Copper is resistant to melting, burning and corrosion and it contains antibacterial elements that may prevent the spread of some diseases. While some of this information may not have been known to early civilizations, their use of copper was a wise decision. Some copper artifacts from the Chalolithic Period have been found that are still in working order.

After the Copper Age ended, mankind entered the Bronze Age and, later, the Iron Age. As cheaper and more widely available metals have been discovered, the widespread use of copper has diminished but the metal is still appreciated for ornamental purposes and designs. Even homeowners have begun using copper fixtures and structures to decorate their property. Residential copper resellers such as Crescent City Copper carry a wide variety of copper ornaments for houses, including copper weathervanes, cupolas and awnings.

Image c/o: Robbie 1

Since copper is derived from a naturally-occurring mineral, it has been used by civilizations for thousands of years. Historians are not certain about when copper was discovered, but they believe that the earliest use of copper was roughly 11,000 years ago in the Middle East. Actual copper-smelting sites have been discovered throughout Jordan, Egypt and Israel. These are believed to have been used as early as 4500 B.C. In the United States, some historians claim that Native Americans were using copper 7000 years ago in the area now known as Michigan.

 

For thousands of years, copper was the only metal used by mankind. Since it was so malleable, copper was used for many purposes. Notably, ancient Egyptians used copper to create tubes for plumbing. Nearly 5000 years after it was made, some copper tubing that has been recovered from archaeological sites in Egypt is still functional. A short time later, people began using copper alloys to create ornaments and furnishings such as lamps and jewelry.

 

Eventually bronze, a copper alloy, became more popular than the original metal, sparking the Bronze Age. During this time, the use of bronze and, by extension, copper spread into Asia and Europe. Copper mines were discovered in Thailand and England which led to copper being used widely in these countries. By the Middle Ages, copper plating had been discovered and was being added to ships' hulls to protect them against rot. During the 1800s, scientists realized that copper could be used as an insulator. This discovery led to copper wiring.

 

After people began finding gold 6000 years ago, the monetary value of copper began to decline. Alloys of tin and iron eventually replaced copper alloys as the standard metal, since these materials were so easy to find. In our modern day, copper is still used for plumbing because of its resilience. Copper has also regained its luster among designers, being used extensively for ornamental purposes. Residential copper retailers such as Crescent City Copper provide copper awnings, copper weathervanes and cupolas for homeowners.

 

Image c/o: ahisgett