In for a pound ping.
“From the size, shape and features of the grains inside the copper, we determined that the coppersmiths were likely hammering the copper, probably with a heavy rock, then putting the copper in the hot coals of a wood fire for five to 10 minutes to soften it and repeating the cycle until they had created a thin sheet of copper. “
Say what? What did they think they had a foundry? Rock science indeed!
They musta been happy when we introduced trains and pennies.
"international expert" ? I guess that's important since we AI's traveled the globe and established prehistoric American Indian colonies.
The modern plague of American Indians - archaeologists & anthropologists.
There is no native copper in the Cahokian region. Presumably it came from the deposits in Upper Michigan, showing that long-distance trade was going on in those days, when there were no highways or railroads. Really remarkable.
I was under the understanding that most archaeologists wouldn’t even admit that Indians used copper to make weapons. This is the first I’ve read of this.
Gee whiz. When my husband was a freshman at Northwestern Engineering school in materials science, he made 2 hammers. I still use them.
I didn’t see anything in the article saying what objects they were making. That would be interesting to know.