Southern Africa's Copper ingots

Images
Country & Timeline

Country: Zimbabwe

Timeline: 5th-20th century CE

Description

Southern Africa has rich copper ore deposits exploited by precolonial populations to manufacture various copper ingots (rectangular, fishtail, croisette). Ingots used as stores of copper, prestige items, and possibly currency. Production involved smelting and casting, traded over long distances across the region.

Image URLs
Academic Source
  • PLOS ONE article on copper ingots <br> NCBI article on copper ingots <br> Show Me Mizzou article on copper artifacts <br> SAIMM article on pre-colonial mining <br> Wikipedia article on copper metallurgy in Africa
Current State

Excavated, housed in various museums (e.g., Museum of Human Sciences in Harare, Zimbabwe; Livingstone Museum in Livingstone, Zambia). Some still being discovered and studied.

Testimony

Testify to advanced metallurgical skills and extensive trade networks of precolonial African societies. Ability to mine, smelt, and cast copper into standardized ingots indicates high technological expertise and organization. Widespread distribution highlights interconnectedness of communities and participation in long-distance trade.

Pride

Rich heritage of metallurgical innovation and economic exchange in Southern Africa. Showcases ingenuity and craftsmanship of precolonial African societies and their ability to produce and trade valuable commodities. Source of pride for contemporary African communities, highlighting ancestors' contributions to metallurgy and trade. Provides valuable insights into cultural and technological achievements of precolonial Africa.

Citations
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