ts are found in the Old World; but considerable quantities of
native copper were obtained, and it was by no means a rare metal. Copper
possesses several qualities that would attract attention. It is quite
malleable; that is, it can be easily hammered into shape. We can imagine
the surprise of the old stone-workers at finding a stone that, instead
of breaking or splitting, could be hammered into shape. By accident, or
otherwise it would be learned, in time, that it could be melted. This
would lead to the idea of molding.

If the above process were followed out, there would be a real Copper Age
preceding that of Bronze: no trace of such an age has yet been detected
in Europe. "But there is, however, every reason for believing, that, in
some parts of the world, the use of native copper must have continued
for a lengthened period before it was discovered that the addition of a
small portion of tin not only rendered it more fusible, but added to its
elasticity and hardness."<6> The absence of a Copper Age in Europe would
imply that the art of manufacturing bronze was discovered in some other
locality.

Copper by itself is so soft that it would not be of much use to man,
except the experience they would gain of melting and molding. In our own
country the aboriginal inhabitants were well acquainted with copper,
and even knew how to mold it. Yet, except as just pointed out, it is not
probable that it exerted any marked influence on their development.<7>
In the old world supplies of native copper are limited, and
recourse must be had to the ores of copper. Now these ores, such as
copper-pyrites, are nearly always of a bright color, and as such would
attract the attention of primitive man. They might suspect that these
bright colored ores contained copper from finding similarly colored ores
in connection with native copper, in fact passing from one form to the
other. But it requires no little skill to reduce the ores of copper;
and, when obtained, for reasons just pointed out, it would not be of
great utility. But primitive man was thus cautiously and experimentally
feeling his way to a knowledge of metallurgy.

All the evidence obtainable goes to show that tin was known as early as
copper, or at least soon after. Its ores though not striking on
account of their color, are on account of their great weight. It is
comparatively easy to reduce it from its ores. It is quite widely
distributed over the earth. It often occurs in the