Who discovered copper?

Copper, a naturally-occurring and abundant element, was likely first encountered by our Stone Age ancestors in the Middle East before the rise of written history. It is believed to have been one of the first metals ever worked by human beings, with its use dating back at least 10,000 years.

The use of copper marked the end of the Neolithic Age, as human beings were able to replace stone tools with those created with the new science of metallurgy. Our insight into such ancient history is limited, but copper tools and ornaments are dated as far back as 8700 B.C.E. in Fertile Crescent regions such as modern-day Iraq.