by: RatedPeople
Total views: 1
Word Count: 638

Metalworkers range from ship builders to bridge construction workers and from fine jewellery makers to producers of intricate parts for electronics manufacturers. So how did it all begin? Metalwork is an ancient art - go to any historical museum and you will find countless metal objects, both functional and decorative, from hundreds, even thousands of years ago. Tools have always been needed for farming and warfare - the discovery of metals was a big step in making these more effective. And precious metals became popular materials to make finery and personal adornments. The precise date when metalworking became commonplace is unknown, but it is thought that as early as 6,000 BC copper smelting was a known process in what is now the Middle East. All metals, other than gold, are found in ores (metal bearing rocks) that require heat to extract the metal. Discovering and then refining this process was a big step. Gold is found in nature in nuggets and doesn't need to be liberated from ores. For that reason it is believed to be the first metal to be discovered. It is malleable and easy to work with, but too soft to produce useful tools. The first metals to be extracted from ores, using heat, were probably copper and tin. But copper is also relatively soft and was not effective for tools or weapons. That's when bronze was born - a mix (or "alloy") of copper and tin that is strong and can be made to have sharp, durable edges. This probably first occurred in what are now Iran and Iraq. Exactly the same processes were developed independently in Britain, China and Japan at various times, hence this broad period of history (from 4,000 BC to 700 BC) is known as the Bronze Age. Later came the Iron Age when iron started to be smelted from iron ore and was widely used for tools. This first began, again in the near Far East, in around 1200 BC, and much later in Europe in around 600BC. Bronze declined because copper and tin are more scarce than iron, but it was still made by some metalworkers as iron needs considerably more heat to be produced. Later carbon would be added to iron to produce steel. As metalworking developed, processes became more sophisticated and the objects produced became more refined and complex. At the same time the precious metals such as gold and silver were highly prized and their use for decorative pieces, finery and jewellery became greatly valued. Metalsmiths, or Smiths, had high social standing which may explain the prevalence of the name Smith in English and its equivalent elsewhere, for example Schmidt in German. Even now "smith" added to a word implies someone with great skill and expertise e.g. a "wordsmith" who is gifted at writing. Metalwork is now one of the broadest of industries. It is used by engineers to produce vast structures including bridges and buildings, by ship builders, tool makers, vehicle manufacturers, white good manufacturers and by electronics firms to produce minute microchips. It is often used by sculptors and artists for fabulously imaginative creations. And of course every jewellery shop is full of delicately crafted tokens of love made from precious metals. Metalwork is a trade involving all sorts of different training and experience depending on which field the metalworker is involved in. And it is vital to every economy in the world, spanning all cultures and civilisations. It has ancient roots and yet is still vital to every society in the world today. So next time you pick up your metal saucepan or drive over an iron suspension bridge in your metal car think back to around 6,000 BC when some bright spark first extracted copper from its ore...

About the Author

Expert metalworker India Cooper explores the ancient art of the metalworker. To find out more please visit http://www.ratedpeople.com/find/metalworker

---

View PDF | Print View

---

Rating: Not yet rated

--Choose-- 0 1 2 3 4 5

Comments

No comments posted.

Add Comment

You do not have permission to comment. If you log in, you may be able to comment.
Next Article - Tips on Amateur Movie Making
Previous Article - The Origin of Rodin's The Thinker

More Related Articles In This Category

1: How Math Makes Art Possible
2: Tattoo Design Ideas - Be Prepared To Have Your Tattoo Design Ready
3: How To Take Care Of Your Fresh Tattoos
4: Graffiti and Urban Art New Way of Expression
5: The Requirements of an Artist
6: Details and Lines: The Secrets of a Good Artist
7: The Right Way Of Setting Up An Exhibition
8: And In The Beginning There Was A Designer
9: Tips on Amateur Movie Making
10: MetalWork - An Ancient Art
11: The Origin of Rodin's The Thinker
12: The Paradoxical Art of M.C. Escher
13: The Statue of David by Michelangelo
14: The Statue of Aphrodite of Cnidus
15: The Sexual (And Non Sexual) Aspects of the Kama Sutra
16: An Introduction to Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa
17: An Introduction to the Abstract Artistic Movement
18: What To Consider When Becoming A Tattoo Artist
19: DIA: Beacon of Detroit Culture for More Than a Century
20: The Finest Opera and Dance Make Their Appearances at the Detroit Opera House
21: The Reason Why Fairy Tattoos Are So Sexy!
22: Why Are Angel Tattoo Designs So Hot?
23: Becoming a Digital Artist; Your First Steps on the Route to Market
24: Becoming a Digital Artist; Licensing Your Creativity
25: A Work Of Art Created In Stone

---

For WebMasters

Link This Article - HTML Code -

<a href="http://americanahost.com/articles/culture-and-society/art/metalwork-an-ancient-art.html" target=_blank>MetalWork - An Ancient Art</a>

Link This Article - BBcode -

[url=http://americanahost.com/articles/culture-and-society/art/metalwork-an-ancient-art.html]MetalWork - An Ancient Art[/url]

Copy This HTML Code To Put This Article In Your Web Site.

<h1>MetalWork - An Ancient Art</h1><br><br> <br><br> Metalworkers range from ship builders to bridge construction workers and from fine jewellery makers to producers of intricate parts for electronics manufacturers. So how did it all begin? Metalwork is an ancient art - go to any historical museum and you will find countless metal objects, both functional and decorative, from hundreds, even thousands of years ago. Tools have always been needed for farming and warfare - the discovery of metals was a big step in making these more effective. And precious metals became popular materials to make finery and personal adornments. The precise date when metalworking became commonplace is unknown, but it is thought that as early as 6,000 BC copper smelting was a known process in what is now the Middle East. All metals, other than gold, are found in ores (metal bearing rocks) that require heat to extract the metal. Discovering and then refining this process was a big step. Gold is found in nature in nuggets and doesn't need to be liberated from ores. For that reason it is believed to be the first metal to be discovered. It is malleable and easy to work with, but too soft to produce useful tools. The first metals to be extracted from ores, using heat, were probably copper and tin. But copper is also relatively soft and was not effective for tools or weapons. That's when bronze was born - a mix (or "alloy") of copper and tin that is strong and can be made to have sharp, durable edges. This probably first occurred in what are now Iran and Iraq. Exactly the same processes were developed independently in Britain, China and Japan at various times, hence this broad period of history (from 4,000 BC to 700 BC) is known as the Bronze Age. Later came the Iron Age when iron started to be smelted from iron ore and was widely used for tools. This first began, again in the near Far East, in around 1200 BC, and much later in Europe in around 600BC. Bronze declined because copper and tin are more scarce than iron, but it was still made by some metalworkers as iron needs considerably more heat to be produced. Later carbon would be added to iron to produce steel. As metalworking developed, processes became more sophisticated and the objects produced became more refined and complex. At the same time the precious metals such as gold and silver were highly prized and their use for decorative pieces, finery and jewellery became greatly valued. Metalsmiths, or Smiths, had high social standing which may explain the prevalence of the name Smith in English and its equivalent elsewhere, for example Schmidt in German. Even now "smith" added to a word implies someone with great skill and expertise e.g. a "wordsmith" who is gifted at writing. Metalwork is now one of the broadest of industries. It is used by engineers to produce vast structures including bridges and buildings, by ship builders, tool makers, vehicle manufacturers, white good manufacturers and by electronics firms to produce minute microchips. It is often used by sculptors and artists for fabulously imaginative creations. And of course every jewellery shop is full of delicately crafted tokens of love made from precious metals. Metalwork is a trade involving all sorts of different training and experience depending on which field the metalworker is involved in. And it is vital to every economy in the world, spanning all cultures and civilisations. It has ancient roots and yet is still vital to every society in the world today. So next time you pick up your metal saucepan or drive over an iron suspension bridge in your metal car think back to around 6,000 BC when some bright spark first extracted copper from its ore...<br><br> <h3>About The Author</h3> Expert metalworker India Cooper explores the ancient art of the metalworker. To find out more please visit http://www.ratedpeople.com/find/metalworker<br><br> Keywords: <b>metalworker, development of metalworking, ancient arts</b> <br><br>Article Source : <a href="http://americanahost.com/articles"><b>Articles Directory</b></a></br> Article URL : <a href="http://americanahost.com/articles/culture-and-society/art/metalwork-an-ancient-art.html" target=_blank>MetalWork - An Ancient Art</a></br> Article Category : <a href="http://americanahost.com/articles/culture-and-society/art/">Art</a></br> Article Author : <a href="http://americanahost.com/articles/profile/ratedpeople-1541.html">RatedPeople</a>

---

Article URL : MetalWork - An Ancient Art
Article Category : Art
Article Author : RatedPeople