The Old Copper complex or Old Copper culture is an archaeological culture from the Archaic period of North America's Great Lakes region. Artifacts from some of these sites have been dated from 7500 to 1000 BCE.[1][page needed] It is characterized by widespread copper artifacts, including tools and weapons, as well as ornamental objects. The archeological evidence of smelting or alloying is subject to some dispute, and it is commonly believed that objects were cold-worked into shape. Furthermore, some archaeologists are convinced by the artifactual and structural evidence for metal casting by Hopewellian and Mississippian peoples.[2][page needed]
Copper knife, spearpoints, awls, and spud (adze), from the Late Archaic period, Wisconsin, 3000 BC-1000 BCE.Native copper nugget from glacial drift, Ontonagon County, Michigan. An example of the raw material worked by the people of the Old Copper Complex.
The Old Copper Complex of the Western Great Lakes is the best known, and can be dated as far back as 9,500 years ago.[3][4]Great Lakes natives of the Archaic period located 99% pure copper near Lake Superior, in veins touching the surface and in nuggets from gravel beds. Major quarries were located on Isle Royale, the Keweenaw Peninsula, and the Brule River, and copper was deposited elsewhere by glaciation as well.[5] Evidence of mining, deep holes chipped into the rock, can be found in Ontario, Manitoba, and around Lake Superior.
By heating, annealing and hammering, these cultures worked the copper into shape and produced a variety of spearpoints, tools and decorative objects. In addition to their own use, the Copper Complex peoples traded copper goods for other exotic materials. By about 3,000 years ago copper was increasingly restricted to jewelry and other status-related items, rather than tools. This is thought to represent the development of more complex social hierarchies in the area.[6][7][8]
The Copper Culture State Park, in Oconto, northeastern Wisconsin, contains an ancient burial ground used by the Old Copper complex culture between 5,000 and 6,000 years ago. It was rediscovered in June 1952 by a 13-year-old boy who unearthed human bones while playing in an old quarry. By July the first archaeological dig was started by the Wisconsin Archaeological Survey.[9]
Other locationsedit
Copper is known to have been traded from the Great Lakes region to other parts of North America. However, there were also other sources of copper, including in the Appalachian Mountains near the Etowah Site in Georgia.[10] The Mississippian copper plates were made by a process of annealing. Ancient copper artifacts are found over a very wide range, all around the Great Lakes region, and far south into what is now the USA.
^Pompeani, David P.; Steinman, Byron A.; Abbott, Mark B.; Pompeani, Katherine M.; Reardon, William; DePasqual, Seth; Mueller, Robin H. (2021). "On the Timing of the Old Copper Complex in North America: A Comparison of Radiocarbon Dates from Different Archaeological Contexts". Radiocarbon. 63 (2): 513–531. doi:10.1017/RDC.2021.7.
^Thomas C. Pleger, "A Brief Introduction to the Old Copper Complex of the Western Great Lakes: 4000-1000 BC", Proceedings of the Twenty-Seventh Annual Meeting of the Forest History Association of Wisconsin, Oconto, Wisconsin, October 5, 2002, pp. 10-18.
^Thomas E. Emerson, Dale L. McElrath, Archaic Societies: Diversity and Complexity Across the Midcontinent, SUNY Press, 2009 ISBN1-4384-2701-8.
^William Marder (2005). Indians in the Americas: the untold story. Book Tree. pp. 28–29. ISBN1-58509-104-9.
^Rootsweb: Original 1952 report and photographs of the Copper Culture burial site – from the first archaeological dig – accessed 4.14.2013
Gibbon, Guy (February 1998). "Old Copper in Minnesota: A Review". Plains Anthropologist. Taylor & Francis. 43 (163): 27–50. JSTOR 25669519.
Pleger, Thomas C. (Fall 2000). "Old copper and red ocher social complexity". Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology. University of Illinois Press. 25 (2): 169–190. JSTOR 20708133.
Neiburger, E. J. (April 1987). "Did Midwest Pre-Columbian Indians Cast Metal? A New Look". Central States Archaeological Journal. Central States Archaeological Societies, Inc. 34 (2): 60–74. JSTOR 43138520.
Further readingedit
Byers, A. Martin (April 1999). "Intentionality, Symbolic Pragmatics, and Material Culture: Revisiting Binford's View of the Old Copper Complex". American Antiquity. Cambridge University Press. 64 (2): 265–287. doi:10.2307/2694278. JSTOR 2694278.
Wittry, Warren L.; Ritzenthaler, Robert E. (January 1956). "The Old Copper Complex: An Archaic Manifestation in Wisconsin". American Antiquity. Cambridge University Press. 21 (3): 244–254. doi:10.2307/277196. JSTOR 277196.
Wittry, Warren L. (1951). "A Preliminary Study of the Old Copper Complex". Wisconsin Archaeologist. 32 (1): 1–18.
December 15, 2023
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The Old Copper complex or Old Copper culture is an archaeological culture from the Archaic period of North America s Great Lakes region Artifacts from some of these sites have been dated from 7500 to 1000 BCE 1 page needed It is characterized by widespread copper artifacts including tools and weapons as well as ornamental objects The archeological evidence of smelting or alloying is subject to some dispute and it is commonly believed that objects were cold worked into shape Furthermore some archaeologists are convinced by the artifactual and structural evidence for metal casting by Hopewellian and Mississippian peoples 2 page needed Old Copper ComplexGeographical rangeGreat LakesPeriodArchaicDates7500 1000 BCEType siteCopper Culture State ParkCopper knife spearpoints awls and spud adze from the Late Archaic period Wisconsin 3000 BC 1000 BCE Native copper nugget from glacial drift Ontonagon County Michigan An example of the raw material worked by the people of the Old Copper Complex Contents 1 Western Great Lakes 2 Other locations 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 Sources 5 Further readingWestern Great Lakes editThe Old Copper Complex of the Western Great Lakes is the best known and can be dated as far back as 9 500 years ago 3 4 Great Lakes natives of the Archaic period located 99 pure copper near Lake Superior in veins touching the surface and in nuggets from gravel beds Major quarries were located on Isle Royale the Keweenaw Peninsula and the Brule River and copper was deposited elsewhere by glaciation as well 5 Evidence of mining deep holes chipped into the rock can be found in Ontario Manitoba and around Lake Superior By heating annealing and hammering these cultures worked the copper into shape and produced a variety of spearpoints tools and decorative objects In addition to their own use the Copper Complex peoples traded copper goods for other exotic materials By about 3 000 years ago copper was increasingly restricted to jewelry and other status related items rather than tools This is thought to represent the development of more complex social hierarchies in the area 6 7 8 The Copper Culture State Park in Oconto northeastern Wisconsin contains an ancient burial ground used by the Old Copper complex culture between 5 000 and 6 000 years ago It was rediscovered in June 1952 by a 13 year old boy who unearthed human bones while playing in an old quarry By July the first archaeological dig was started by the Wisconsin Archaeological Survey 9 Other locations editCopper is known to have been traded from the Great Lakes region to other parts of North America However there were also other sources of copper including in the Appalachian Mountains near the Etowah Site in Georgia 10 The Mississippian copper plates were made by a process of annealing Ancient copper artifacts are found over a very wide range all around the Great Lakes region and far south into what is now the USA See also editMetallurgy in pre Columbian America Etowah platesReferences editCitations edit Pleger 2000 Neiburger 1987 Ancient Native Americans were among the world s first coppersmiths David Malakoff Science Mar 19 2021 https www science org content article ancient native americans were among world s first coppersmiths Pompeani David P Steinman Byron A Abbott Mark B Pompeani Katherine M Reardon William DePasqual Seth Mueller Robin H 2021 On the Timing of the Old Copper Complex in North America A Comparison of Radiocarbon Dates from Different Archaeological Contexts Radiocarbon 63 2 513 531 doi 10 1017 RDC 2021 7 Gibbon 1998 p 28 Thomas C Pleger A Brief Introduction to the Old Copper Complex of the Western Great Lakes 4000 1000 BC Proceedings of the Twenty Seventh Annual Meeting of the Forest History Association of Wisconsin Oconto Wisconsin October 5 2002 pp 10 18 Thomas E Emerson Dale L McElrath Archaic Societies Diversity and Complexity Across the Midcontinent SUNY Press 2009 ISBN 1 4384 2701 8 William Marder 2005 Indians in the Americas the untold story Book Tree pp 28 29 ISBN 1 58509 104 9 Rootsweb Original 1952 report and photographs of the Copper Culture burial site from the first archaeological dig accessed 4 14 2013 Welch 1991 Moundville s Economy 184 Sources edit Gibbon Guy February 1998 Old Copper in Minnesota A Review Plains Anthropologist Taylor amp Francis 43 163 27 50 JSTOR 25669519 Pleger Thomas C Fall 2000 Old copper and red ocher social complexity Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology University of Illinois Press 25 2 169 190 JSTOR 20708133 Neiburger E J April 1987 Did Midwest Pre Columbian Indians Cast Metal A New Look Central States Archaeological Journal Central States Archaeological Societies Inc 34 2 60 74 JSTOR 43138520 Further reading editByers A Martin April 1999 Intentionality Symbolic Pragmatics and Material Culture Revisiting Binford s View of the Old Copper Complex American Antiquity Cambridge University Press 64 2 265 287 doi 10 2307 2694278 JSTOR 2694278 Wittry Warren L Ritzenthaler Robert E January 1956 The Old Copper Complex An Archaic Manifestation in Wisconsin American Antiquity Cambridge University Press 21 3 244 254 doi 10 2307 277196 JSTOR 277196 Wittry Warren L 1951 A Preliminary Study of the Old Copper Complex Wisconsin Archaeologist 32 1 1 18 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Old Copper complex amp oldid 1170978652, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
