Metallurgy In Africa

Copper, iron and gold were the raw metals that have been worked in Africa for more than two millenniums. They were and still are the commodities consumed by civilisation, which are anchored upon metallurgy. Metals have played a large and significant role during the pre-industrial period through the establishment of trade routes, accumulation of wealth and also knowledge transfer which was implemented through a society known as the ‘Brotherhood’. Objects of iron, gold and copper have always been key to the religious, political, social and economic life. However, in Africa iron has always been the primary metal in all the aspects of life since the establishment of the metallurgical revolution. Africa has little tin and bronze accumulation throughout

Metals such as Gold, Iron and Copper were the primary materials for making tools because of their distinct and variable properties such as ductility, malleability and strength and also their ability to undergo deformation. In the pre Colombian New World, metals were only enjoyed by the elites of the society while stone was still the primary raw material used for manufacturing thus aligning trade between areas with rich and deficient

Metallurgy was said to be one of the key instruments in social and political urbanization, the most widely noted cities are those in the Zimbabwe plateau, the middle Nile and so forth. The varies metals formed local and long distant trade routes which lead to other key political roles were metals were used for tribute and taxes due to their high value in Africa. The major role of the metal production and the metal trade was the rise of towns and states in Africa. Through the trade of varies metals, multitudes of different states formed throughout Africa and especially in the sub-Saharan area. Historical sources alluded to the existence of varies trade routes in the southern Africa after 1000 AD for copper and iron at Musina and Phalabora in the southern Africa. Metal was also exchanged for cattle, grain and many local commodities such as glass beads as this is evident in sites from the 9-10th century in Nigeria, Nubia and