In this episode of Ethnocynology, host David Ian Howe sits down with friend and creator North02 to dive into one of North America’s most fascinating and overlooked archaeological stories—the Old Copper Culture.
Together, they explore how Native communities in the Great Lakes region began shaping some of the world’s earliest metal tools and weapons, thousands of years before metallurgy took hold in Europe. From massive copper swords and fishing hooks to spear throwers and intricate ornaments, this culture reveals a technological world far beyond the usual “stone tool” narrative.
We discuss:
Why Michigan and the Great Lakes hold the purest copper deposits in the world
How hunter-gatherers mined and hammered copper into tools as early as 9,500 years ago
The mysterious rise and fall of copper mining, and why production suddenly stopped
Connections to Paleoindian cultures like Clovis and Agate Basin
The difference between copper use in the Americas and the Old World’s Bronze Age
How copper shifted from practical tools to symbols of power and status
Along the way, North shares insights from his upcoming documentary on the Old Copper Culture, his hands-on experiments with copper tools, and why this forgotten chapter of prehistory deserves a place in public imagination.
If you’ve ever wondered whether North America had its own “Copper Age”, this episode will change the way you think about early technology, innovation, and the ingenuity of ancient peoples.
Transcripts
Links:
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