The first evidence of humans taking an interest in metals is from about 40,000 BC, in which traces of gold were found in caves in Spain. As of 3000 BC, Egyptians began making weapons out of iron. Five hundred years later signified the beginning of metallurgy when humans discovered how to heat tin and copper and combine them to make bronze.

1200 BC signifies the beginning of the Iron Age when the Hittites learned how to extract iron from its ore. It appears as though the Philistines enjoyed great success as a culture, in large part due to their discovery as to how to extract and work iron.

Though the Chinese were probably the first to turn metallurgy into a craft, the Romans are widely credited as being the first masters at this and are thought to have had advanced mining methods and forging skills. The ancient Egyptians’ metallurgy products were traded widely, which improved quality and increased other cultures’ pursuit of the craft. The Egyptians forged elaborate metal ornamentation, occasionally inlaying with glass. They also made silver or gold vases and plates. They used iron and bronze to create weaponry and household objects such as dishes and tools, as well as artistic objects. The artistic objects were generally formed with reverence, in the shapes of men, gods, and sacred animals.

At this time, the safety of a country depended largely on metal weaponry and may have had much to do with its rapid spread. The induction of metallurgy into a society generally signified an important turning point in its history. Metal was a prized possession and civilizations expended massive resources in mining, metallurgy, and learning to forge. Eventually, metal was used to create machinery to create more metal products, often replacing the craftwork and creativity of man. Some craftsmen are still dedicated to the ancient and beautiful crafts that can be originated from the human spirit; some consumers still want this beauty and ingenuity to be brought into their home.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 at 10:30 am and is filed under Metal Crafts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.