Metallurgy - Chemistry at High Temperatures

In metallurgy the reactions are compHcated and occur at high temperatures. This made a theoretical understanding difficult, and the fundamental processes became known empirically long before chemical science had developed to such a level that it could be of some use. 

During the centuries around 2000 BC humans had a rather good knowledge of the metals copper, tin and lead, which can easily be reduced from oxides and sulfides. Alloy formation, e.g. bronze from copper and tin, was discovered and practically tested in a well-estabKshed casting technique. Cold forming as a method to give metal com- 

In the first half of the third millennium bc pieces of man-made iron appear in Mesopotamia, Asia Minor and probably also in Egypt. H. H. Coghlan [8.3] reports that metallic iron was prepared as early as 2700, perhaps 3000 bc. It occurred in Tall Chagar in the north of Syria. 

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