Chalcolithic

The Chalcolithic is a prehistoric period in which communities used copper alongside stone tools, generally before bronze became widespread. Its timing and local character vary across regions.

Copper metallurgy: The extraction, smelting, and working of copper into objects. Copper working distinguishes Chalcolithic communities from those relying only on stone.
Copper smelting: The production of metallic copper by heating copper ores under reducing conditions. Smelting made copper objects possible from ores rather than native metal alone.
Vinča culture: A Neolithic and Copper Age archaeological culture of the central Balkans, known for large settlements and distinctive material remains. Its sites preserve some of southeastern Europe's early evidence for copper use.
Craft specialization: The concentration of particular skills or forms of production among specific individuals or groups. Metalworking required skills that could become distinct from ordinary household production.
Bronze: A copper-based alloy, usually containing tin, harder than unalloyed copper in many applications. Bronze's wider adoption marks the technological distinction from the Chalcolithic.
Stone tool: A tool made by shaping or grinding stone for practical use. Stone tools remained in use even where copper objects appeared.
Native copper: Copper occurring naturally as metallic lumps rather than chemically bound in ore. Some early copper objects could be made by hammering naturally occurring metal.
Varna Necropolis: A fifth-millennium BCE cemetery on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast containing rich graves and early gold objects. Its grave goods show marked social distinctions in a regional Copper Age setting.
Social stratification: The division of a society into unequal ranks or classes with different access to resources and status. Unequal access to metal objects and rich burials can signal emerging social differences.
Iron Age: A period in which iron became a widely used material for tools and weapons. Its ironworking technology belongs to a later phase than Chalcolithic copper use.

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