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SOME NOTES ON THE NATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF COPPER‐ORE DEPOSITS IN CENTRAL AFRICA
Author(s) -
COLEMAN F. L.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
south african journal of economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.502
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1813-6982
pISSN - 0038-2280
DOI - 10.1111/j.1813-6982.1969.tb02517.x
Subject(s) - ornaments , bronze , central asia , precious metal , copper , ancient history , metallurgy , smelting , geography , archaeology , history , metal , materials science , style (visual arts)
T he discovery and working of copper deposits in south‐central Africa must not be regarded solely as a European phenomenon. It is true that there never was a Bronze Age in Africa, south of the Sahara, as there was elsewhere, the earliest metal users in south and central Africa using iron from the beginning and working it in a manner similar to that evolved by other Iron Age people in Europe and Asia. Nevertheless, where surface deposits of other metals such as copper, tin, gold or silver were found, there is no doubt that they, too, were extensively worked and the resulting ingots, ornaments and weapons not only retained for local use but also traded often to considerable distances.