Timeline

World Facts & Events

Stone Age (precedes 9000 BC)

9000 BC

The Stone Age was a prehistoric period in human civilization where stone was widely used to make implements with hard edges, points and surfaces.

First Villages

6000 BC

At the end of the Stone Age, humans learned how to grow enough food to feed their families.

Beginning of the Copper Age

4500 BC

Where it took place, the Copper Age began at different times in different regions. Generally, it is accepted to have made its major impact between...

Ancient States of the Copper Age

3700 BC

The development of ancient states marked one of the major milestones in the evolution of human civilization.

Polytheism in the Ancient World

3500 BC

Ancient civilizations built temples to worship gods and goddesses.

Megalithic Tombs

3500 BC

Megalithic tombs are above-ground burial chambers, built of large stone slabs (megaliths) laid on edge and covered with earth or other smaller stones.

Beginning of the Bronze Age

3300 BC

The Bronze Age began around 3300 BC when people living in the Near East, South Asia and Europe purposefully melted a mixture of copper and tin to...

Egyptian Pyramids

2750 BC

The Egyptian pyramids were built mostly as tombs for the country's pharaohs and their consorts, beginning around 2750 BC.

Bronze Age Spreads Across Europe

2500 BC

The European Bronze Age is characterized by bronze artifacts and the use of bronze implements that spread across Europe at different times.

Beginning of the Iron Age

1500 BC

The Iron Age was a period of human history that succeeded the Bronze Age.

Trojan War

1260 BC

The Trojan War inspired the greatest writers of antiquity, from Homer to Herodotus and Sophocles to Virgil.

Parthenon

0438 BC

The Parthenon is considered one of the world’s greatest cultural monuments and the most important surviving building of ancient Greece.

Lighthouse of Alexandria

0305 BC

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Great Wall of China

0259 BC

Perhaps the most recognizable symbol of China, the Great Wall was built to prevent barbarian nomads from invading the Chinese Empire.

The Pagoda

0200 BC

Buddhists have been building pagodas and stupas to enshrine sacred relics and writings since 3rd century BC. Taoists build them for houses of worship.

Colosseum in Rome

0080

The Roman Colosseum is an oval amphitheater in the center of Rome, Italy. It is the largest amphitheater ever built.

Peak of Maya Civilization

0250

The Mayas ruled Central America before the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 1500s.

Caravans

0500

Caravans were typically used in trade expeditions. They protected travelers and merchants against attacks. They also ensured adherence to routes and...

Mosque

0638

The mosque is a place of Muslim worship, social welfare and education.

Cathedrals of Medieval Europe

1100

Medieval Cathedrals built between 700-1600 are among the world's most renowned works of architectural excellence.

European Colonization of the Americas

1492

The Spanish trans-Atlantic expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1492 led to additional voyages that began the European exploration, conquest and...

Taj Mahal

1643

The Taj Mahal is famous for its beauty, its size and because of the love story that inspired building it.

Albert Einstein

1916

Albert Einstein's theories of special and general relativity described new ways of looking at space, time, matter, energy and gravity.

Gandhi

1947

Mohandas Gandhi was an Indian non-violent civil disobedience activist who led India to independence.

Man on the Moon

1969

Apollo 11, the first manned moon landing, was considered an impossible achievement for most of human history.

International Space Station

1998

This Earth orbit observatory and research lab is sponsored by the governments of the US, the EU, Japan, Canada and Russia.

"Working" Copper into Tools and Pendants

8700 BC

None of the great cultures in antiquity could have prospered without mastering copper and its metallurgy.

First Copper Processing

5000 BC

Nearly 4,000 years after native copper was hardworked (hammered) into shapes, the first metalworkers discovered that native copper ores could be...

Beginning of the Copper Age

4500 BC

Where it took place, the Copper Age began at different times in different regions. Generally, it is accepted to have made its major impact between...

Copper in Pre-Columbian N. America

4000 BC

Paleo-Indian peoples in North America were involved with copper mining and making copper goods at approximately the same time as paleolithic peoples...

Copper Bowls

4000 BC

Copper was the first metal to be hammered into bowls, around 4000 BC.

Copper on Cyprus

3900 BC

Cyprus had so much copper that the metal was eventually named after the island.

Bronze Metallurgy Discovered

3300 BC

The Bronze Age began around 3300 BC when people in the Near East, South Asia and Europe purposely melted a mixture of copper and tin to produce...

Balance Scales

3250 BC

Weighing with copper and silver balance pans was a science practiced in Egypt before 3200 BC. The scales were used chiefly to weigh metal.

The "Iceman" and the "Copper Man"

3200 BC

Two well preserved mummies of men who lived at very different times and places are noteworthy in copper archaeology.

Copper Mirrors

3100 BC

The earliest known metal mirrors were made of copper and were dated to 3100 BC.

Impressive Copper Sculpture

3100 BC

An impressive copper relief known as Imdugud was found at Al'Ubaid, near Ur, in Sumeria, dating back to 3100 BC.

Copper in Pre-Columbian S. America

3000 BC

Copper has a long and illustrious history in South America, particularly in Chile and Peru.

Copper Artifacts from Sumeria

3000 BC

Copper and bronze artifacts from Sumerian cities date to 3000 BC.

Copper Pipes in Egyptian Pyramids

2750 BC

The ductility of copper led to its use for water piping in ancient Egypt.

Bronze Weapons and Helmets

2600 BC

Bronze weapons and helmets were widely used in the eastern Mediterranean for battle and ceremonial purposes.

Bronze Age Spreads Across Europe

2500 BC

The European Bronze Age is characterized by bronze artifacts and the use of bronze implements that spread across Europe at different times.

Copper in Medical Sterilization

2400 BC

An ancient Egyptian medical text mentions using copper as a sterilization agent for drinking water and chest wounds.

Copper in Surgical Tools

2200 BC

Copper and bronze surgical tools were so valuable that they were buried with Egyptian kings for the afterlife.

Bronze Bust of Sumerian King

2047 BC

This bust of King Ur-Namma was cast in arsenic-copper, a technological accomplishment of the time.

Copper-Clad Doors at Karnak

1900 BC

The Karnak Temple Complex, a section of Thebes in upper Egypt, is a vast mix of temples, chapels, pylons and other buildings.

Copper Stains Glass

1550 BC

The blue or green color of Egyptian glass of the 18th Dynasty (1550 BC to 1292 BC) was made by silica, lime, alkaline carbonate and copper carbonate.

Bronze Bells and Gongs

1500 BC

Bronze bells and gongs came into use as a source of sound in Asia around 1500 BC.

Copper and Bronze as Monetary Payment

1500 BC

Copper alloys were used for payment because they had inherent value, were corrosion and wear resistant and were easy to manufacture and recycle.

Copper for the Afterlife

1330 BC

Objects of value were often buried in ancient tombs to serve pharaohs and kings in the afterlife.

Chinese Ritual Bronzes

1200 BC

Sets of ritual bronzes are the most impressive surviving objects from the Chinese Bronze Age.

Bronze Pillars at Solomon's Temple

0900 BC

According to biblical references, massive bronze pillars measuring 6 feet (1.83m) in diameter and 25 feet (7.62m) tall once stood upon the porch at...

First Rounded Copper Coins

0700 BC

Rounded coins were an evolution of more primitive monetary systems.

First Copper Roofs

0650 BC

Copper was used for temple roofs as far back as the Greek poets Homer and Hesiod, around 650 BC.

The Discus Thrower

0450 BC

The Discobolus (discus thrower) is an ancient Greek sculpture cast in bronze.

Copper Treats Leg Ulcers

0400 BC

Copper was used by medical practitioners in ancient times to treat leg ulcers associated with varicose veins.

The Colossus of Rhodes

0280 BC

The Colossus of Rhodes was a gigantic bronze statue near the port of the city of Rhodes, in ancient Greece.

Brass Becomes Prevalent

0100 BC

Brass was invented thousands of years after bronze because it was much more difficult to produce by ancient civilizations.

Copper in Medicine

0020

Copper was firmly established as an important drug in the medical practitioner's pharmacopoeia when the Roman physician Aulus Cornelius Celsus...

Dead Sea Copper Scroll

0025

The Copper Scroll is one of the Dead Sea Scrolls found in modern-day Israel.

Roof of the Roman Pantheon

0126

The Pantheon is one of the best-preserved buildings of Ancient Rome.

Objects of Worship

0500

Sacred objects of worship, both large and small, were often made of bronze.

Bell of King Seongdeok (Korea)

0771

Also known as the Emile Bell, this massive bronze bell weighs 18.9 tons.

Sweden's Great Copper Mountain

1080

This copper orebody produced two thirds of Europe's copper demand in the 17th century.

Copper in Pre-Columbian Cen. Am.

1200

Signs of copper production in pre-Columbian Central America date to the first millennium AD.

Bronze Cannon

1200

The bronze cannon breached walls in fortified cities, thereafter changing how wars were fought in the Middle Ages.

Brass Musical Instruments

1400

Instruments made from brass have distinctive sounds that civilizations around the world love and appreciate.

Copper in Printing Presses

1440

The Gutenburg printing press used copper, bronze and brass. Global demand for copper increased as thousands of Gutenburg presses were built soon after...

Copper Distillery

1450

Distillers have long used copper stills for producing alcohol.

Copper in Scientific Instruments

1500

Copper and its alloys were extensively used in scientific instruments invented during the Renaissance in Europe.

Copper Roofs in Renaissance Europe

1600

Copper roofs became widespread in Europe where a strong resistant material was needed to resist snow.

Copper-Based Currency in Sweden

1611

Sweden's fantastic copper deposits enriched the nation and enabled it to adopt copper currency for a short time.

Nickel Brass (Nickel Silver)

1636

Nickel brass, also known as nickel silver, is a copper-nickel-zinc alloy known for its silvery appearance.

Copper in Post-Columbian North America

1705

The first copper deposits worked by non-native (Caucasian) Americans were located in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions.

Oldest Copper-Roofed Church in the U.S.

1727

Historic Christ Church in Philadelphia is the oldest-known copper-roofed church in the US.

Copper in First Electrical Battery

1750

The voltaic pile was the first invention to usher in the Electricity Age.

Copper Sheathing for Ships

1761

Copper cladding enhanced the strength of the British Navy in the 1700s.

Heat Exchangers

1769

Copper alloy heat exchangers have evolved along with heat transfer technologies over the past several hundred years.

Propeller

1775

Propellers transmit power by converting rotational motion into thrust.

Making Brass in the US

1792

The US brass mill industry began shortly after the Republic was founded.

Boilers on Fulton's Steamboat

1807

Robert Fulton and Robert Livingston's North River Steamboat was nicknamed "Fulton's Folly" by doubters that the boat could be powered by steam.

Copper Wire and Cable

1820

Copper wire and cable became the backbone of the Electrical Age.

Electromagnetic Induction

1831

As soon as it could be harnessed, electricity powered our homes and industry.

Bullet

1840

The first ammunition with metal cartridge casings was produced in France in the 1840s with an alloy that exceeded 90% copper.

Electrolytic Refining

1876

High purity copper (99.9999% pure) is essential for electrical conductivity. This level of purity was achieved by electrolytic refining.

Telephone Wire and Cable

1877

The invention of hard-drawn copper wire in 1877 played a major role in commercializing the telephone, invented just the year before.

Copper Fungicides

1885

The first copper fungicide was invented (by accident) by Pierre-Marie-Alexis Millardet in the Bordeaux district of France.

Statue of Liberty

1886

A gift from the people of France, the Statue of Liberty in New York City had the largest weight of copper in a single structure when it was dedicated...

Aluminum Bronze

1888

This desirable gold-appearing alloy was discovered by mixing copper with aluminum.

The Thinker

1904

This well-known statue conjures up an intense and philosophical image of humankind.

International Electrical Conductivity Standard

1914

Copper was adopted as the international standard of 100% electrical conductivity.

Copper-Nickel Alloys

1920

Adding nickel to copper enhances the mechanical strength and corrosion resistance of copper-nickel alloys.

Modern Copper Plumbing Technology

1927

Home indoor drinking water systems were revolutionized when a lightweight yet durable drawn copper tube was introduced that could be quickly soldered...

Continuous Casting

1940

The invention of continuous wire rod casting technology enabled the copper industry to meet the exploding demand for electrical wire and cable.

Flash Smelting

1949

Flash smelting is an energy-efficient technology that accounts for 50% of today's world's primary copper production.

Circuit Boards

1985

Circuit boards are the brains behind all modern electronics including mobile phones, computers and new electrical appliances.

Solvent Extraction and Electrowinning

1985

Solvent extraction and electrowinning (SX/EW) enabled low grade copper oxide ores to be mined profitably.

Lead-Free Copper Alloys for Drinking Water

1986

Lead in copper plumbing alloys has been completely eliminated or drastically reduced as a material for new potable water systems.

Espionage and Health Shielding

1986

The National Security Agency buildings at Ft. Meade, Maryland, are sheathed with copper to prevent unauthorized snooping.

Particle Accelerators

1987

A particle accelerator uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles to nearly the speed of light.

Telecommunications Cable

1993

Telecommunications cable with copper conductors are suitable for today’s Ethernet needs...and for those of the future.

DSL Broadband for Internet

1993

As the Internet took off in the early 1990s, DSL enabled high-speed broadband to be transmitted over traditional telephone copper lines.

Copper in Floppy Disc Drives

1995

As personal computers became ubiquitous in the mid 1990s, hundreds of millions of people operated floppy disc drives to access and save vital...

Dietary Copper is Established

1996

Copper is an essential trace element that is vital to the health of all living things.

Copper in Computer Chips

1997

IBM introduced the first computer chip to use copper wires in 1997. Today, all leading chip makers have switched from aluminum to copper.

Copper Combats Legionnaire’s Disease

1999

The bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease is killed when contacted with copper.

Largest Swinging Bell

1999

The World Peace Bell in Newport, Kentucky, is the world's largest free-swinging bell.

Copper in US Coins

2000

Four US mints produce billions of coins every year.

CuproBraze® Heat Exchanger

2000

CuproBraze® is a copper-alloy heat exchanger technology for harsh temperature and pressure environments such as those in the latest generations of...

Heat Sinks for Personal Computers

2000

Heat sinks remove heat from PCs and other electronic components.

Copper Motor Rotor

2003

The copper rotor motor technology was born out of the need to meet the low voltage motor market demands for greater energy efficiency.

Copper in Cell Phones

2007

Copper is the conductor in cell phones.

Copper in Architecture Awards

2008

The Copper Development Association instituted its coveted "North American Copper in Architecture Awards" in 2008.

Antimicrobial Copper®

2008

Antimicrobial Copper® are copper alloys that quickly kill bacteria. They make touch surfaces in hospitals, senior centers, ambulatory facilities and...

Radio Frequency Identification

2010

Copper is used to enhance radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for security, tracking and purchasing systems in retail, manufacturing,...

Copper Microgroove®

2012

Copper MicroGroove® technology is dominating the global residential window air-conditioner market.

Energy Efficient Motors

2013

Copper is playing a major role in today's R&D on energy efficient motors.

Copper Production

2016

Copper production has increased dramatically over the past 100 years to accommodate modern technology.

Copper in Today's World

2018

Copper is essential for modern living. It makes our lives much better in so many ways.

Copper in Today's Home

2018

Copper use per capita today is 10 times more than it was 100 years ago!

Copper in Today's Automobiles

2018

Today's conventional automobiles use a lot of copper. Electric vehicles use a lot more.

Copper in Today's Fast Trains

2018

Today's advanced locomotives are more reliable, more efficient and more resistant to environmental extremes than the standard generation of...

The Future is "Bright" for Copper

2020

In addition to copper's role in its mainstream markets, copper is playing an increasingly important role in future technologies and in Global...

Ceramics (precedes 9000 BC)

9000 BC

Ceramics were among the oldest and most important human inventions of the Stone Age.

Harpoon (precedes 9000 BC)

9000 BC

The earliest known harpoons were made 90,000 years ago in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They were most likely used to spear...

Plough

5000 BC

The plough transformed civilization by enabling the cultivation of soils for planting and subsequent crop harvesting.

Wheel

4500 BC

The wheel is one of the most important of human inventions.

Silk Textiles

3600 BC

Silk from China was the most lucrative and sought-after luxury item of the ancient era.

Glass

3500 BC

The history of making glass can be traced back to 3500 BC Asia in Mesopotamia.

Cuneiform and Hieroglyphics

3200 BC

Cuneiform is a system of writing developed by the Sumerians of Mesopotamia. Hieroglyphics was a different writing system developed in Egypt.

Papyrus

2560 BC

Papyrus is a writing material similar to thick paper that was first manufactured in ancient Egypt from the pith of the papyrus plant.

Horse Domestication

2000 BC

Domesticated horses carried cargo, plowed farmland, enabled people to travel great distances and changed the nature of warfare with horse-drawn...

Phoenician Alphabet

1050 BC

The oldest verified alphabet of antiquity, the Phoenician alphabet enabled people to write, mark and engrave their thoughts and preserve their ideas...

Compass

1000 BC

The compass enabled explorers to travel the world, igniting the Age of Discovery.

Watermill

0250 BC

The watermill transferred hydropower to mechanical energy and mechanized the grinding of grain and moving of millstones.

Windmill

0100

Windmills were used for over a thousand years to mill grain (gristmills) or pump water (windpumps).

Astrolabe

0220

The astrolabe was used by navigators and astronomers to identify stars and planets, determine latitude and assist with triangulation.

Maritime Navigation

1295

Maritime navigation first occurred in the Mediterranean region.

Printing Press

1440

The Gutenberg printing press enabled literacy to expand by spreading knowledge and heralding the era of mass communication.

Telescope

1609

In 1609, Italian physicist and astronomer, Galileo, became the first person to point a telescope towards the skies, changing our understanding of the...

Microscope

1620

The microscope enabled scientists to discover microorganisms, study the structure of cells and gain a better understanding of crystalline, molecular...

Pendulum Clock

1656

The pendulum clock was the world's most precise timekeeper from its invention in 1656 until the 1930s.

Pocket Watch

1657

The accurate pocket watch enabled people to make firm time commitments and schedules, and arrive on time.

Steam Engine

1712

The Industrial Revolution was powered by the steam engine. Before its invention, most products were made by hand.

Sextant

1759

A sextant measures the angle between two visible objects. It was most often used in celestial navigation and in astronomy.

Train

1804

The train enabled hundreds of passengers and large amounts of cargo (chemicals, fuel, merchandise, etc.) to be transported great distances overland,...

Telegraph

1833

The telegraph was the first in a long line of communications breakthroughs that later included radio, telephones and email.

Ships with Steel Hulls

1843

The Industrial Revolution made possible the use of iron and then steel for ship hulls.

Telephone

1876

The telephone spread communications across wide areas. Today, it enables billions of people to talk to each other around the world.

Light Bulb

1879

The light bulb enabled people to control the illumination of indoor environments, no matter the time of day, simply by flipping a switch.

Automobile

1886

The automobile increased personal mobility and freedom. It has had a profound effect on how we get from one place to another and how we build our...

Electricity

1893

Electricity was one of the most important of all human discoveries. Without it, we wouldn't have even a small fraction of what we have today.

Radio

1901

Radio enabled people to receive news and audio programs via wireless broadcasts.

Airplane

1903

Long distance journeys took much longer and were much more difficult before the invention of airplanes.

Television

1928

Television brought visual news, programs and advertisements into people's homes.

Penicillin

1928

Penicillin was a "miracle drug" that heralded the age of antibiotics to fight bacterial infections.

Radio Telescope

1931

The radio telescope helps astronomers detect radio waves from very far-away sources.

Helicopter

1936

Helicopters can take off and land almost anywhere. They don't need an airstrip. When airborne, they can maneuver in ways that airplanes and jets...

Computer

1942

The computer can be designed to do almost anything with information.

Supersonic Aircraft

1946

Supersonic aircraft fly faster than the speed of sound (Mach 1).

Satellite

1957

Satellites facilitate Earth communications over long distances. Signals are sent up to satellites which then send signals back down to Earth at...

The Internet

1973

This network of computers linked together across the world enables people to access information anywhere and at any time.

Mobile Phone

1973

Mobile phones changed how we communicate by eliminating the need to be tied to a land line.

Global Positioning Systems

1978

Global Positioning Systems (GPS) use up to 32 satellites to pinpoint an exact position to within a couple of feet.

Magnetic Levitation Trains

1979

Trains with magnetic levitation (MAGLEV) technology are the fastest in the world.

Wind Farms

1980

Wind energy is renewable and sustainable. It does not generate toxic emissions or greenhouse gases.

Laptop Computer

1980

Because of its compactness and portability, the powerful laptop largely replaced the desktop computer.

Space Shuttle

1981

NASA's 30 year space shuttle program flew 135 missions.

Hybrid Car

1997

Hybrid cars use less fuel and produce less carbon dioxide emissions than conventional cars.

Smartphone

2007

The smartphone revolutionized modern society in just 10 years.

A Timeline of Copper Technologies

World Facts & Events

Stone Age (precedes 9000 BC)

9000 BC

World Facts & Events

First Villages

6000 BC

World Facts & Events

Beginning of the Copper Age

4500 BC

World Facts & Events

Ancient States of the Copper Age

3700 BC

World Facts & Events

Polytheism in the Ancient World

3500 BC

World Facts & Events

Megalithic Tombs

3500 BC

World Facts & Events

Beginning of the Bronze Age

3300 BC

World Facts & Events

Egyptian Pyramids

2750 BC

World Facts & Events

Bronze Age Spreads Across Europe

2500 BC

World Facts & Events

Beginning of the Iron Age

1500 BC

World Facts & Events

Trojan War

1260 BC

World Facts & Events

Parthenon

0438 BC

World Facts & Events

Lighthouse of Alexandria

0305 BC

World Facts & Events

Great Wall of China

0259 BC

World Facts & Events

The Pagoda

0200 BC

World Facts & Events

Colosseum in Rome

0080

World Facts & Events

Peak of Maya Civilization

0250

World Facts & Events

Caravans

0500

World Facts & Events

Mosque

0638

World Facts & Events

Cathedrals of Medieval Europe

1100

World Facts & Events

European Colonization of the Americas

1492

World Facts & Events

Taj Mahal

1643

World Facts & Events

Albert Einstein

1916

World Facts & Events

Gandhi

1947

World Facts & Events

Man on the Moon

1969

World Facts & Events

International Space Station

1998

Copper Developments & Uses