With the discovery of copper and its use Europe enters the Copper Age, also known as Eneolithic or Chalcolithic. This was a transition period between the Stone Age and the Bronze Age, with the first attempts at metallurgy and the creation of first metal blades tools and weapons made out of copper.

Raw copper ore is striking enough on its own, with its blue and green tints.
Earliest copper items in Europe were probably made in the east, originating in Anatolia, with the earliest large-scale mine discovered in present-day Bulgaria, dating to around 5100 BC. From there, it was then imported to other parts. Soon, others started to build their own crucibles and process the metal. In the Alpine region, It was first processed at the beginning of the 4th millennium BC.

It is believed that most often copper items were symbols of power and status. The houses where forging took place were most often placed outside of the settlements. This could be attributed to their respected status and the danger of fire and poison gases. When melting and extracting copper from pyrite ore, a dangerous arsenic gas is released. Even a small amount can cause major damage to the nervous system.

The extraction and working of metal can be considered a ‘technological revolution’. Yet, Metallurgy would not be a full-fledged activity until iron started to be used. Accordingly, metal goods were intended for a narrow circle of users. The use of metal products remained limited due to both the poor availability of ores and complex extracting procedures despite the fact that they were of finer quality, proving more resistant, flexible, versatile and less brittle than implements of stone, wood, bone or antler. Metal can take many different shapes and forms and, if damaged, it could be resmelted and used again.

Sources: docs.google.com/document/d/1mnK9tpEvz9UgeVWuUh8fPF…

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