Copper is widely considered to be a very precious metal, but its use stretches back for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations prized copper for its malleability, ductility, and ability to be easily shaped into art objects. Copper was also believed to have magical and spiritual properties.
The oldest copper object ever discovered dates back to 8700 BC in the form of a copper awl from the Iranian plateau. From there, copper use spread across many ancient civilizations, from the Sumerians, Egyptians and Chinese to the Romans, who mined it extensively and developed new ways to work with it.
Copper was originally derived through direct smelting, in which the ore was heated and the metal melted off and then cast or hammered into shape. As time went on, new techniques were developed, including the use of molds and hammers to form parts. This is why many copper vessels, coins, and statues have been found in tombs and ancient ruins.
Copper also had a variety of uses that changed over time. It was sometimes used to make coins, jewelry, ornaments and religious items, as well as weapons, armor, and tools. It was also used in construction, and was the main component of the bronze age in which tools were made from bronze, an alloy of copper and tin.
The use of copper later spread to Europe and the Americas, where it was used for many of the same purposes as it had been in the east, such as coins, jewelry, tools, and weapons. Today, copper is still used for many of these earlier purposes, but it also has an important role in modern technology. It is used in the manufacture of semiconductors, in the wiring of electrical systems, and in the production of cars and airplanes. It is also essential in the production of precision engineered parts, and is often the default material when it comes to plumbing fixtures.
Copper has a bright red-orange color and can be polished to be extremely reflective, making it a popular choice for decorative pieces and jewelry. It has a high electrical conductivity, making it great for electrical wiring. It is also resistant to corrosion and relatively easy to cast or shape, so it can be used for many other purposes as well.
