Copper

Ancient Uses

Copper's history dates back to the Chalcolithic Era, around 11,000 years ago, with the first evidence of copper working found in the Middle East. Gary Arndt explains that copper was easy to shape and find, making it the first metal humans worked with. However, its softness made it less ideal for tools, leading to the development of bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, which was a significant advancement.

Otzi the Iceman, a 5000-year-old man found on a glacier, had an axe head made of almost pure copper.

--- Gary Arndt

As bronze and later iron became dominant, copper's use shifted to jewelry, utensils, cookware, and coinage 1 2.

   

Copper Coinage

Copper's role in coinage began in the third century BC with Greek rulers in Bactria, using an alloy of copper and nickel. The Romans also issued small denomination copper-based coins, known as an ass, and had a significant appetite for copper, mining extensively on the island of Cyprus. Gary notes that the Latin term for copper, 'cuprum,' originated from Cyprus, and this term evolved into the English word 'copper.'

The Roman use of copper and copper-based alloys for its small coins is still practiced by most countries around the world today.

--- Gary Arndt

Copper coins remained important throughout history, with significant mining operations like the Falun mine in Sweden supplying much of Europe's copper during the Middle Ages 3.

   

Medieval-Metal Age

During the Medieval and Metal Ages, copper continued to play a vital role in society. Gary highlights that copper was used in art, ornaments, and coins, remaining an essential metal despite the rise of bronze and iron. The Falun mine in Sweden was a major source of copper, supplying two-thirds of Europe's copper and funding many of Sweden's 17th-century wars.

The mine supplied two-thirds of all the copper in Europe for centuries and was the biggest source of revenue for the Swedish crown.

--- Gary Arndt

Copper's properties, such as heat and electrical conductivity, became more valuable with the advent of the industrial revolution, further cementing its importance in human history 1 3.