Who Discovered Iron

Iron is a chemical element that is extremely useful to us for a variety of purposes, and it is known to have been around for almost 5000 years now. Since its discovery, iron has fulfilled so many different purposes in our lives, that it is impossible to imagine life without this element now. The history of iron is very mixed and almost all parts of the world have been using it for many centuries, so to accurately state who discovered iron and when, is something that cannot be done.

5000 years is an extremely long time and during these centuries, the way iron is made and the purposes that it is made for, have slowly evolved. Each civilization that is known to mankind have used iron in some way, so who discovered iron is still unknown. There are many different theories about iron and its discovery, but there isn't substantial evidence to back these claims. The wide range of its applicability and its diverse usage means that any of these theories could be right.

About Iron
Iron is an element that is found almost anywhere on the Earth's surface, and it is very cheap and easy to mine. The primary sources of iron are magnetite and hematite, and the abundance of these minerals means that iron covers almost 5.6% of the Earth's crust. This easy availability of iron across the planet makes it even harder to deduce who discovered iron the element and how its origins actually came about. Iron is usually combined with carbon in order to produce an alloy known as stainless steel. The uses of steel in our lives is so profound that we have taken its presence for granted now. Along with carbon, other elements can also be added to iron to give it many other useful properties.

Origins of Iron
Many people widely believe that iron came to the Earth's surface through meteors. There is no way to check the accuracy of this claim, as iron has been around before written history actually began, though the recorded use of iron can be dated back to about 1200 BC. The iron which was supposedly contained in the meteor came through nickel, which comprised about 8% of the meteors contents.

By the time recorded evidence of iron welding began, it was widely used as a component for making jewels and beads of various kinds. In spite of its widespread abundance, iron was considered a somewhat precious metal in those days. Who discovered iron may not be known, but the discovery of iron has made a huge difference in the history of mankind. The introduction of iron revolutionized the art of agriculture, warfare, and other appliances and structures. The strength of iron and its alloys is such that it can be put to so many innovative and different uses. All these discoveries and processes brought about the iron age which had a huge impact on the shaping of society as we know it today.

Uses of Iron
The discovery date of iron goes back to such a long time ago that the uses of iron have changed and evolved a number of times. The importance of iron in our lives through this constant change has remained constant though. The knowledge of who discovered iron would have at least given us someone to thank for all these uses that iron can be put to:

• Wrought iron, which does not rust easily, is used to make chairs, poles and other such outdoor objects.
• Alloyed steel is widely used for a large number of construction purposes. Buildings, ships, tanks, the list is endless.
• Cast iron can withstand high temperatures and thus it is used to make a number of cooking items and other utensils that can be used in a kitchen.
• Other uses of iron are subtle and not seen clearly. Machinery and equipment used to manufacture pretty much anything and everything is also made up of iron.

To go about our daily lives without the presence of iron now is absolutely impossible, and no matter how many changes take place in the future, iron will always continue to play an integral part in society. Who discovered iron is something we would like to know, but now we are resigned to the fact that this is a secret that will probably never be revealed.