The First Book of Copper (The First Book of Series)

The metal, copper, has been known for thousands of years, and during that time its importance to people has steadily grown. Primitive folk are likely to think that the natural things they find on the earth are gifts from the gods. A metal as important as copper was bound to be looked upon with some awe by the earlier peoples. Around it a number of superstitions grew up. Because it was believed to have come from a divine source, copper was often used as a charm against various ailments. In India, copper earrings were worn to avoid sciatica, a disease of the nerves. During the Middle Ages, Europeans wore copper belts to relieve the pains of rheumatism. In all different parts of the world, various beliefs and superstitions abounded about copper, its source, and its uses. This book for young readers traces the history of this mineral, from its earliest discovery by primitive man, through the period when it was found to be an excellent conductor of electricity, to today's world of spaceships, complicated machines, and electronics, where copper is used abundantly.