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Who was the first civilization to have steel of any kind?
- Thread starter Nano
- Start date
M
Mrs. Schneider
Guest
The earliest known production of steel is a piece of ironware excavated from an archaeological site in Anatolia and is about 4,000 years old.Other ancient steel comes from East Africa, dating back to 1400 BC.
G
Gerard Heime
Guest
As you might already know, people used tools made of stone in so-called Stone Age. Prehistoric people used to dig and mine for useful stones and minerals, like flint.
Perhaps one day, a prehistoric miner found what is now called native copper. It's distinct metallic look means it was great for making jewelry and ceremonial tools. The prehistoric people probably tried to alter the shape of native copper and started experimenting with it: putting it into a fire, in water, striking it with stone hammers etc.
For a long time, both stone and copper tools ware in use, but as people experimented with copper (and other metals they found in the ground) it became obvious that metals could be shaped and combined more easily (creating alloys, like bronze). At some point, the majority of prehistoric people stopped using stone tools and switched to metal. This is how early metallurgy was born.
For example, copper was used for ceremonial purposes in the prehistoric city of Mehrgarh, somewhere from 7000 to 5500 BC. The ruins of the city are located in Pakistan. In Serbia, a copper axe was found, from about 5500 BC.
Perhaps one day, a prehistoric miner found what is now called native copper. It's distinct metallic look means it was great for making jewelry and ceremonial tools. The prehistoric people probably tried to alter the shape of native copper and started experimenting with it: putting it into a fire, in water, striking it with stone hammers etc.
For a long time, both stone and copper tools ware in use, but as people experimented with copper (and other metals they found in the ground) it became obvious that metals could be shaped and combined more easily (creating alloys, like bronze). At some point, the majority of prehistoric people stopped using stone tools and switched to metal. This is how early metallurgy was born.
For example, copper was used for ceremonial purposes in the prehistoric city of Mehrgarh, somewhere from 7000 to 5500 BC. The ruins of the city are located in Pakistan. In Serbia, a copper axe was found, from about 5500 BC.
Mrs. Schneider is correct, Th earliest steel came from Anatolia , dated at almost 2000 B.C. It is thought that the Hittites, an indo-European people mastered its use in the late bronze age , however it didn't spread that much beyond their empire. They are even referenced in the bible by the Hebrews as having ' northern Iron and Steel' ( Jeremiah 15:12) . The Hebrews and Egyptians had no word for "steel" but used instead אסטמא (istoma) akin to the Greek word οτὀμωμα (otómoma) or hardening to describe it, indicating an indo-European origin. The destruction of the Hittite empire by the sea peoples , effectively ended the copper and tin trade routes needed for producing bronze. As iron were more available naturally, the Hittites technique spread all over the middle east and Europe.
Iron and steel was also developed independently in ancient India and China at over 1400 BC.
i have always wondered how the hell did someone figure how to smelt metal. it probably started with meteorites which were rich in metal and used the same way as stone before. somehow along the way, someone was cooking something on a fire and found the next day that some ' stones' had melted and solidified into something hard. from then on maybe people experimented with it and tried new ways of perfecting metal tools until they had the right technique and then traded it. Iron working is very difficult and no one is sure how that happened. even in the ancient world it was a closely guarded secret. So how that was discovered by the Hittites and philistine remains lost to us. Iron working spread out from the middle east, china and India. It is no surprise that native Americans and Aboriginal Australians never learned how to smelt iron because it was difficult. In my opinion, it probably took a Bronze age Einstein to hit upon the idea and set the ball rolling.
Iron and steel was also developed independently in ancient India and China at over 1400 BC.
i have always wondered how the hell did someone figure how to smelt metal. it probably started with meteorites which were rich in metal and used the same way as stone before. somehow along the way, someone was cooking something on a fire and found the next day that some ' stones' had melted and solidified into something hard. from then on maybe people experimented with it and tried new ways of perfecting metal tools until they had the right technique and then traded it. Iron working is very difficult and no one is sure how that happened. even in the ancient world it was a closely guarded secret. So how that was discovered by the Hittites and philistine remains lost to us. Iron working spread out from the middle east, china and India. It is no surprise that native Americans and Aboriginal Australians never learned how to smelt iron because it was difficult. In my opinion, it probably took a Bronze age Einstein to hit upon the idea and set the ball rolling.