please tell me about the copper age
The period is a transitional one outside of the traditional three-age system, and occurs between the Neolithic and Bronze Age. It appears that copper was not widely exploited at first and that efforts in alloying it with tin and other metals began quite soon, making distinguishing the distinct Chalcolithic cultures and later periods difficult. The boundary between the Copper and Bronze Ages is indistinct, since alloys sputtered in and out of use due to the erratic supply of tin.
Copper was the start of human metallurgy, because the ore is found on the surface, and softens at a relatively low temperature ( a wood fire laid on the ground will do) to enable the metal to be worked into artifacts. For example, it was the only metallurgy known to the American Indians before the Europeans arrived. On the other hand, copper is so soft and malleable, what's made is not very useful or durable.
