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The earliest substantiated and dated evidence of metalworking was processing of copper in Wisconsin,

nearLake Michigan. Copper was hammered until brittle then heated so it could be worked some more.

This technology is dated to about 4000-5000 BCE.[1]

TheEgyptiansare thought to have been one of the

first civilizations to workgold.

Not all metal required fire to obtain it or work it.Isaac Asimovspeculated thatgoldwas the "firstmetal."

[2]His reasoning is that gold by itschemistryis found in nature as nuggets of pure gold. In other

words, gold, as rare as it is, is always found in nature as the metal that it is. There are a few other metals

that sometimes occur natively, and as a result of meteors. Almost all other metals are found inores, a

mineral bearing rock, that require heat or some other process to liberate the metal. Another feature of

gold is that it is workable as it is found, meaning that no technology beyond eyes to find a nugget and a

hammer and an anvil to work the metal is needed. Stone hammer and stone anvil will suffice for

technology. This is the result of gold's properties ofmalleabilityandductility. The earliest tools

werestone,bone,wood, andsinew. They sufficed to work gold.

At some unknown point the connection between heat and the liberation of metals from rock became clear,

rocks rich incopper,tin, andleadcame into demand. These ores were mined wherever they were

recognized. Remnants of such ancient mines have been found all over what is today the Middle

East.[3]

Metalworking was being carried out by theSouth Asianinhabitants ofMehrgarhbetween 7000

3300 BCE.[4]

The end of the beginning of metalworking occurs sometime around 6000 BCE

whencoppersmelting became common in the Middle East.

The ancients knew of seven metals. Here they are arranged in order of theiroxidation potential:

Iron+0.44,

Tin+0.14

Lead+0.13

Copper0.34

Mercury0.79

Silver0.80

Gold1.50

The oxidation potential is important because it is one indicator of how tightly bound to the ore the metal is

likely to be. As can be seen, iron is significantly higher than the other six metals while gold is dramatically

lower than the six above it. Gold's low oxidation is one of the main reasons that gold is found in nuggets.

These nuggets are relatively pure gold and are workable as they are found.

Copper ore, being relatively abundant, and tin ore became the next important players in the story of

metalworking. Using heat to smelt copper from ore, a great deal of copper was produced. It was used for

bothjewelryand simpletools. However, copper by itself was too soft for tools requiring edges andstiffness. At some point tin was added into the molten copper andbronzewas born. Bronze is analloyof

copper and tin. Bronze was an important advance because it had the edge-durability and stiffness that

pure copper lacked. Until the advent of iron, bronze was the most advanced metal for tools

andweaponsin common use (seeBronze Agefor more detail).

Looking beyond theMiddle East, these same advances and materials were being discovered and used

the world around.ChinaandBritainjumped into the use of bronze with little time being devoted to

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copper.Japanbegan the use of bronze and iron almost simultaneously. In theAmericasthings were

different. Although the peoples of the Americas knew of metals, it wasn't until the arrival of Europeans

that metal for tools and weapons took off. Jewelry andartwere the principal uses of metals in the

Americas prior toEuropeaninfluence.

Around the date 2700 BCE, production of bronze was common in locales where the necessary materials

could be assembled forsmelting, heating, and working the metal.

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