The use of stone for toolmaking predates the emergence of the earliest humans, but the use of metal for toolmaking is far more recent. The reason for this is straightforward: although there are 76 naturally occurring metallic elements, only a few are commonly found in the native state. In antiquity – and indeed for centuries after – only seven metals were known: gold, silver, copper, lead, tin, iron, and mercury. Of these, only gold, silver, and copper occur in significant quantities in the native state. Of these, only copper is suitable for toolmaking, though all three could be used for making ornaments.
This 12,000-word eBook short read, the last in the In Search of series tells the story of these seven metals and how they shaped the Ancient world.
*** This and the other 11 short reads in this series are available in a single collection: Prehistoric Investigations 2: In Search of ***