Copper's role in history, culture and religion.
This section of JewelrySupplier.com is intended to uncover references in history to gems, gemstones, minerals, crystals, precious metals and semi-precious stones and to investigate the role they played in the development of the cultures in which they were utilized. We believe examples of royal jewelry and ancient jewelry from anthropology, sociology and archaeology from the ancient societies of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome and especially the work of Pre-Columbian American cultures of the North American Indians, Aztecs, Mayans, and Incans to be of craftsmanship that has not been equaled since. Where possible in our history of jewelry, we’ve tried to include methods of manufacture, materials and technology. From the bible, commerce, celestial beliefs to modern crystal collecting.
The history of Copper use by humans is a long and varied one, dating back nearly 10,000 years with multiple applications. Copper is, in fact, humanity’s first metal and shows up in Sumerian and Egyptian metallurgy circa 3900 BC.
Egypt
As mentioned
already, the Egyptians were among the first human cultures to use Copper,
but they were also one of the first to develop Bronze, a mixture of Tin
and Copper, and usher in the Bronze Age of human history. As early as 3900
BC, they were developing Copper products that became more and more common
and eventually showed up in common household items such as cooking pots.
By 2500 BC, Egyptian jewelry makers had developed Copper working to such a
level that they were creating crowns and headdresses made of the metal.
Asia
Copper use had spread to Asia quite quickly after its development in the
middle East, but most examples remaining are from the last few centuries.
Indian use of Copper excelled and their techniques soon spread to other
parts of Asia. Beyond common uses, Asian cultures and religions, such as
Buddhism and Hinduism, used Copper in the creation of fantastic inlays,
embossed facades on palaces and temples, and ceremonial vessels.
Copper
in Pre-Columbian America
Copper use in Pre-Columbian America seems to have developed independently
around and possibly before the time that it began in the Middle East.
Metal working by some cultures was so advanced by the time Europeans
arrived, that the techniques the native workers had developed rivaled
those of the invaders. Pre-Columbian Americans used Copper for bells,
ornaments, weapons, beads, earrings and armor of very good technical
quality.
Christianity
Many Christian rituals traditionally call for the use of Copper. See Mythology
for details.
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