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From Stone To Metal
Around 6000 years ago, smelters in Eastern Europe and the Near East began to
experiment with different copper alloys. So by 5000 years ago
Metal working seemed to start at the same time as people were getting
together to make civilizations, such as with the Minoan and the Egyptian
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For
thousands of years mankind relied on tools made from stone, wood and bone. Then
scientists began to find tools and ornaments made from copper, dated to about
12,000 years ago, in many parts of the world.
copper
and tin ores were being smelted together , at 10% tin and 90% copper to make
bronze, and so the Bronze Age was born.
Stone
was still widely used, but over a period of time the casting of bronze tools ,
such as swords, axes, spear heads and arrow heads were gradually replacing stone
for all edged tools and weapons.
cultures.
But in other parts of the world, such as sub Saharan Africa, it wasn't
until the 15th century ad , when the Europeans began to explore, that the people
there got metal tools.