how people learned to make copper and what metal, the plough and the wheel changed in the Copper

Sources and credits for imagery used in this film, including material incorporated into explanatory animations.

• Reconstructed Ötzi axe

  Bullenwächter; modified by User:120

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 3.0

  Source photograph previously modified by User:120; resized for video.

• Ötzi's discovery site

  Mai-Sachme

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Cropped toward the marked discovery site; reframed for video.

• Varna gold treasure

  Zde

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Neolithic jadeite axehead, find 240220

  Anna Tyacke / Royal Institution of Cornwall

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 2.0

  Resized for video.

• Ötzi's copper axe blade

  АлександрЛаптев

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Two crops isolate the axe blade; museum label excluded; reframed and labelled for video.

• Ljubljana Marshes wheel and axle

  Petar Milošević

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized and labelled for video.

• Varna necropolis gold display

  CryolophosaurusEllioti

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Cropped to the three display trays; reframed for video.

• Rudna Glava archaeological mine

  Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Serbia

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Resized and labelled for video.

• Ard furrows at Sion–Anciens Arsenaux, Figure 3c

  ARIA SA; Samuel van Willigen, Sylvain Ozainne, Michel Guélat, Anne-Lyse Gentizon Haller and Marc Haller

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Figure cropped to panel c, showing ploughmark group 499 after excavation; reframed and labelled.

• Antler mining tools from Curak, Figure 7

  P. Thomas, Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum; Peter Thomas and coauthors

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Figure cropped to the antler-tool photographs; reframed and labelled.

• Goat and cattle hoofprints at Sion, Figure 4

  ARIA SA; Samuel van Willigen, Sylvain Ozainne, Michel Guélat, Anne-Lyse Gentizon Haller and Marc Haller

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Figure cropped to the hoofprint photograph; reframed and labelled.

• Curak open-cast copper mine, Figure 3a

  P. Thomas, Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum; Peter Thomas and coauthors

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Figure cropped to panel A, the mine viewed from the south in spring 2013; reframed and labelled.

• Curak Western Drift and hammerstone, Figure 3b

  P. Thomas, Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum; Peter Thomas and coauthors

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Figure cropped to panel B showing the mine profile and in-situ hammerstone; reframed and labelled.

• The Iceman's flint Arrowhead 12, Figure 4

  Ursula Wierer, Simona Arrighi, Stefano Bertola, Günther Kaufmann, Benno Baumgarten, Annaluisa Pedrotti, Patrizia Pernter and Jacques Pelegrin

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Figure cropped to the arrowhead photographs; resized and labelled.

• Ötzi equipment replicas at Jeongok Prehistory Museum

  Aspere

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0

  Resized for video.

• Reconstructed Ötzi clothing at Archeoparc

  Wolfgang Sauber

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Cropped to the reconstructed clothing from the neck down; reframed and labelled.

• Replica hide coat and leggings at Jeongok Prehistory Museum

  Aspere

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0

  Cropped to the coat and leggings, excluding case lights and glass rim; reframed and labelled.

• Replica hide quiver at Jeongok Prehistory Museum

  Aspere

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0

  Cropped to the quiver and flap; reframed and labelled.

• Varna gold jewellery

  Yelkrokoyade

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Resized for video.

• Varna funerary face and gold jewellery

  Zde

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Detail of the Ötzi facial reconstruction

  Mannivu

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• The Iceman's dagger, Figure 2

  Ursula Wierer, Simona Arrighi, Stefano Bertola, Günther Kaufmann, Benno Baumgarten, Annaluisa Pedrotti, Patrizia Pernter and Jacques Pelegrin

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Cropped to the upper photographs of both dagger faces and its bound handle; reframed and labelled.

• Varna Grave 4 offerings

  Gabriele Burchielli

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 2.0

  Resized for video.

• Varna Grave 4 offerings, museum display

  Gabriele Burchielli

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 2.0

  Resized for video.

• Varna gold objects displayed as insignia of power

  Zde

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Inozemtsevo copper-alloy cauldron, Figure 3a

  Shevan Wilkin, Peter Hommel, Alicia Ventresca Miller, Nicole Boivin, Antonella Pedergnana, Natalia Shishlina and Viktor Trifonov

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Figure cropped to panel A, the surviving cauldron; reframed and labelled.

• Similaun and the Ötzi discovery-area marker

  32 Fuß-Freak

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Cropped to the discovery area and stone marker; reframed and labelled.

• Close view of Varna Grave 4 offerings

  Gabriele Burchielli

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 2.0

  Resized for video.

• Bull pendants from Varna Grave 36

  Gabriele Burchielli

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 2.0

  Resized for video.

• Varna necropolis grave offerings

  Gabriele Burchielli

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 2.0

  Resized for video.

• Varna Chalcolithic necropolis

  Ivano Giambattista

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0

  Resized for video.

• Reconstruction of the Inozemtsevo cauldron, Figure 3b

  Shevan Wilkin, Peter Hommel, Alicia Ventresca Miller, Nicole Boivin, Antonella Pedergnana, Natalia Shishlina and Viktor Trifonov

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Figure cropped to panel B, the artistic reconstruction; reframed and labelled.

• Varna gold bracelets and sceptre

  CryolophosaurusEllioti

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Varna bull pendants, cropped view

  Gabriele Burchielli

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 2.5

  Source is a cropped version of “Bull pendants from Grave 36 (Varna Necropolis) (36756066545)”; resized for video.

• Anatolian wagon model at the Neues Museum

  Ismoon

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Pločnik archaeological site

  Sindjic

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Malachite from Congo

  Luc Viatour / www.lucnix.be

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Resized for video.

• Copper axes and modern replicas, National Museum of Serbia

  CryolophosaurusEllioti

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Cassiterite specimen

  Didier Descouens

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Resized and labelled for video.

• Natural copper ore, macro photograph

  Jon Zander (Digon3)

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Resized for video.

• Prehistoric Alpine sampling sites, Figure 1a

  Myriam Croze, Alice Paladin, Stefania Zingale, Sofia Alemanno, Franco Nicolis, Elisabetta Mottes, Frank Maixner, Annaluisa Pedrotti, Torsten Günther, Albert Zink and Valentina Coia

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Cropped to the Alpine sampling-site map in panel A; panel letters excluded; reframed and labelled.

• Copper axes and replicas, National Museum of Serbia, detail

  CryolophosaurusEllioti

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Sultana gold hoard, Museum of Gumelnița Culture

  CryolophosaurusEllioti

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Copper axes from Hłudno, Poland

  Auctor quaerendae

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Çayönü archaeological remains

  Dûrzan Cîrano

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Cropped to the stone foundations and mountains, above the modern fence; reframed and labelled.

• Copper-bearing rocks at Wadi Faynan, Jordan

  Carole Raddato

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 2.0

  Resized and labelled for video.

• Azurite and malachite on gossan, Morenci Mine

  James St. John

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 2.0

  Resized for video.

• Lost-wax copper crown from the Judean Desert

  Gary Todd

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0

  Resized for video.

• Botryoidal malachite

  TheFurther21

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Native copper mineral specimen

  Flipin,OG

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0

  Resized for video.

• Nahal Mishmar treasure

  Hanay

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Resized for video.

• Straw and copper from the Judean Desert hoard

  Gary Todd

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0

  Resized for video.

• Belovode ceramic sherd with copper slag, Figure 4c

  M. Radivojević and Lj. Radivojević

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

  Figure cropped to panel c within its border; reframed and labelled. Source adapted after Radivojević 2012.

  Photo CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 M. Radivojević and Lj. Radivojević (adapted after Radivojević 2012), in Radivojević & Roberts 2021, Journal of World Prehistory 34, Fig. 4c.

• Ancient swords at Malatya Museum

  Klaus-Peter Simon

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Resized for video.

• Copper sceptres from the Judean Desert hoard

  Gary Todd

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0

  Resized for video.

• Ancient swords and daggers at Malatya Museum

  Dosseman

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Alacahöyük objects at the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations

  Radosław Botev

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 3.0 Poland

  Cropped to bronze standards, gold cups and jewellery; reframed and labelled.

• Chalcolithic linen fragments and pouch

  Gary Todd

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0

  Resized for video.

• Horgen-culture perforated stone axe

  Roland zh

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Resized for video.

• Ancient wooden wheel at the Laténium

  Laténium

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Resized for video.

• Drawing of the Bronocice vessel motif

  Ulamm

  View original source ↗Source licence: Public domain

  Resized for video.

• Horgen-culture clay loom weights

  Roland zh

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Resized for video.

• Chalcolithic copper sceptre

  Gary Todd

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0

  Resized for video.

• Horgen-culture arrowheads

  Roland zh

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Resized for video.

• Experimental lost-wax mould production, Figure 3d

  Thomas Rose, Peter Fabian and Yuval Goren

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Figure cropped to panel d, showing the wax model packed in clay and its sprue; reframed and labelled.

• Neolithic shell bracelet

  Wolfgang Sauber

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Jadeite axe from Breamore, Hampshire

  Pasicles

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0

  Resized for video.

• Bronocice vessel

  Silar

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Resized for video.

• Spondylus gaederopus shell

  H. Zell

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Cropped from the six-view plate to one exterior shell view; reframed for video.

• Neolithic thread and spindle whorls

  Gary Todd

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0

  Resized for video.

• Prehistoric objects at the Carnac museum

  Moreau.henri

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Copper droplet from Belovode, Figure 4

  Miljana Radivojević, Thilo Rehren, Ernst Pernicka, Dušan Šljivar, Michael Brauns and Dušan Borić

  View original source ↗

  Figure cropped to the two copper-droplet photographs and the 1 cm scale card; reframed and labelled.

  © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

• Ceramic wagon model, Hungarian National Museum

  CryolophosaurusEllioti

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Copper jewellery at the Hungarian National Museum

  Dguendel

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Copper axe, Buzau County Museum

  Buzau County Museum

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Göltepe tin-mining display at Niğde Museum

  Dosseman

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Resized for video.

• Ötzi's original copper axe and yew haft

  Harald Wisthaler / South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology

  View original source ↗

  Resized and labelled for video.

  © South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology / Harald Wisthaler (www.wisthaler.com)

• Ötzi's original unfinished yew bow

  Harald Wisthaler / South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology

  View original source ↗

  Resized and labelled for video.

  © South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology / Harald Wisthaler (www.wisthaler.com)

• Aerial view of an Alpine glacier

  Florian Delée

  View original source ↗Source licence: Pexels License

  Excerpt selected and resized.

• Panchaloha casting

  Rainer Halama

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Excerpt cropped to molten bronze being poured from a crucible into a sand mould; resized for video.

• Aerial view of a glacier landscape

  Florian Delée

  View original source ↗Source licence: Pexels License

  Excerpt selected and resized.

• Traditional charcoal making

  Tomtoom03

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 3.0

  Excerpt selected and resized.

• Axe blade, type Kaka

  LWL-Archaeologie

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0 1.0

  3D model rendered as a turntable; excerpt selected.

• Kidney-shaped malachite specimen

  Virtual Museums of Małopolska

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC0 1.0

  3D model rendered as a turntable; excerpt selected.

• Piz Sesvenna, aerial view

  Capricorn4049

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

  Excerpt selected from the 1080p transcode and resized.

• Copper ore specimen

  Edom Lowlands Regional Archaeology Project

  View original source ↗Source licence: CC BY 4.0

  3D model rendered as a turntable; excerpt selected.

• Natural Earth 1:50m land polygons

  Natural Earth

  View original source ↗Source licence: Public domain

  Projected, styled and animated as regional maps; coastlines and polygon holes used, including the Caspian Sea; explanatory markers and labels added.

Licensed stock footage used in this film, with each item’s creator and source page.

• Rough Malachite Specimen on Dark Background

  vvoennyy

  View on Envato Elements ↗

• Majestic Alpine Ibex Grazing in Mountain Meadow

  Xtrahive

  View on Envato Elements ↗

• Red Deer Herd Running in Scotland in Slow Motion

  Stock87

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• Green Banded Malachite Mineral Stone Close Up

  ivankarasev

  View on Envato Elements ↗

• Hand Holding Gold Nuggets in a Flowing River

  Petryshin1984

  View on Envato Elements ↗

• Aerial view of snowy Otztal Alps mountains in Imst, Austria.

  AmazingAerial

  View on Envato Elements ↗

• Rotating Mineral Specimen with Turquoise and Brown Hues

  BlackBoxGuild

  View on Envato Elements ↗

• Aerial View of Snowy Mountains and Glaciers

  BlackBoxGuild

  View on Envato Elements ↗

• Close Up of Burning Charcoal and Fiery Embers

  vagoart

  View on Envato Elements ↗

• Glacier and Moraines in the Alps near Zermatt, Switzerland

  daniel_atw

  View on Envato Elements ↗

• Close-Up of Glowing Red Hot Charcoal Embers with Flickering Flames

  AfterEffectsCreations

  View on Envato Elements ↗

• Caveman knapping flint in a cave dwelling

  kitreel

  View on Envato Elements ↗

• Fog covered alpine valley forest Switzerland aerial video drone European country

  BlackBoxGuild

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• Heap of Raw, Unprocessed Sheep's Wool

  stockvideo

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• Primitive Forge with Hot Coals and Bellows

  vkph

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• Breathtaking Wide Shot of Lush Green Mountain Peaks and Alpine Meadow

  localradio

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• Molten Metal Glowing in Crucible with Yellow Flames

  BlackBoxGuild

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• Mountain Stream Cascading Through Green Austria Alps Ravine

  BlackBoxGuild

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• Blizzard Sweeping Across Snow Covered Mountains in Winter

  Grishayev

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• Wind Blowing Snow off Mountain on Winter Day

  Pro-Stock

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• Molten Gold Being Poured into a Mold

  kitreel

  View on Envato Elements ↗

• Aerial view of the breathtaking Alps at sunrise illuminating the snowy peaks

  Strikernia

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• Man Shaping Copper Metal With Hammer in Outdoor Workshop at Night

  BlackBoxGuild

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• Hammer Shaping Gold on Anvil, Close Up

  sergiostock

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• Drone Aerial Flight Over Green Forests in Tuscany Italy

  stock24

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• Aerial view of rocky Black Sea coastline, Bulgaria

  UltraHDenis_new

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• An Aerial View of the Rocky Coastline of the Black Sea in Southern Bulgaria Near the Town of Varvara

  Sandsun

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• Flying Up Between Mountains in Serbia at Summer

  Kokhanchikov

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• Rolling Mountain Landscape on Overcast Day

  trucic

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• Danube River and Mountains in Djerdap National Park

  Kokhanchikov

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• Caucasus Mountains at autumn. Flight over the autumn forest in Caucasus Mountains at sunset. Russia

  duckdivetales

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• Aerial of Gizeldon River Valley in the Region of North Ossetia Russia North Caucasus Landscape

  Bussker

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• Two Large Black Bulls Grazing in a Lush Green Meadow

  BlackBoxGuild

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• Hungarian Grey Cattle Grazing in Grassy Meadow

  BlackBoxGuild

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• Flock of Shaggy Sheep Eating in Rural Setting

  xtrekx

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• Herd of Mouflon Sheep Grazing in Forest Clearing

  tetenio

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• Wheat Field Blowing in the Breeze

  StockVideoEU

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• A field of Blue Flax crop in Worcestershire, England.

  BlackBoxGuild

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• Aerial view of wetland and forest by lake, Slovenia.

  AmazingAerial

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• Sion in Rhone Valley with illuminated snowy peaks of Swiss Alps

  BlackBoxGuild

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• Aerial View of Nahal Og, Desert Canyon in Israel

  world_footage

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• Scenic Wide Shot of a Rocky Desert Canyon

  EvalMiko

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• Aerial View of Arslantepe Mound, Ancient Archaeological Site in Turkey

  efeeylul

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• The Euphrates river.

  bodrumsurf

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• plowed field bordering forest Farmland in germany. Gorgeous aerial view flight drone

  BlackBoxGuild

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• Misty Mountains Aerial Landscape in Winter

  video80x

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• A field of organic einkorn in the south of France, just before harvest, during a sunny day. The ears

  BlackBoxGuild

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• Aerial view of the Black Sea coastline and wetlands, Bulgaria.

  AmazingAerial

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• Aerial view of Lake Durankulak and agricultural fields, Bulgaria.

  AmazingAerial

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• Historical Monument Stonehenge in England, UK

  doctor-graphics

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• Hands Mold Wax onto Blue Candle Form

  frimufilms

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• Starting Fire with Flint on Birch Bark in Winter

  sergeyxsp

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Research references

Selected sources from the episode’s research and scientific figures.

1. Radivojević et al. 2010 ↗
2. Radivojević and Rehren 2016 ↗
3. open author manuscript ↗
4. Radivojević and Roberts 2021 synthesis ↗
5. Roberts, Thornton and Pigott 2009 ↗
6. DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105051 ↗
7. Konak et al. 2025 ↗
8. Thornton et al. 2010 author PDF ↗
9. Frame's MIT thesis ↗
10. Radivojević et al. 2017 ↗
11. Thomas et al. 2025 Curak excavation ↗
12. Penske et al. 2023 ↗
13. Dolfini 2011, use-wear study ↗
14. Radivojević et al. 2013 ↗
15. Stech and Pigott 1986 ↗
16. museum equipment page ↗
17. museum clothing account ↗
18. museum discovery account ↗
19. Junkmanns et al. 2019, *Journal of Neolithic Archaeology* 21:283–314 ↗
20. **O'Sullivan et al. 2016, *Scientific Reports* 6:31279** ↗
21. 2017 ↗
22. 2024 ↗
23. Wierer et al. 2018, *PLOS ONE* 13:e0198292 ↗
24. Maixner et al. 2018, *Current Biology* 28:2348–2355 ↗
25. Pilø et al. 2022/2023 ↗
26. Müller et al. 2003, *Science* 302:862–866 ↗
27. Dickson et al. 2019 ↗
28. Pernter et al. 2007 ↗
29. *Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery*, 2025 ↗
30. *Scientific Reports* 15:42555 ↗
31. Nerlich et al. 2003 ↗
32. Wang et al. 2023, Cell Genomics 3:100377 ↗
33. Croze et al., Nature Communications 16:6431 ↗
34. Ju and Mathieson 2021 ↗
35. Perretti et al. 2025 ↗
36. Akbari et al. 2026 ↗
37. Deter-Wolf et al. 2024, *European Journal of Archaeology*, “Chalcolithic Tattooing” ↗
38. Higham, Slavchev, Gaydarska & Chapman 2018, *Radiocarbon* 60:493–516 ↗
39. municipal museum brochure ↗
40. Leusch, Armbruster, Pernicka & Slavčev 2015, *Cambridge Archaeological Journal* 25:353–376 ↗
41. Varna museum's own campaign page ↗
42. Gaydarska, Roe & Slavchev, “Dietary Variability in the Varna Chalcolithic Cemeteries,” *European Journal of Archaeology* 28:24–42 ↗
43. van Willigen et al. 2024, *Humanities and Social Sciences Communications* 11:372 ↗
44. Liu & Albarella 2026, British traction study ↗
45. Bakker, Kruk, Lanting & Milisauskas 1999, *Antiquity* 73:778–790 ↗
46. Kraków museum's Bronocice account ↗
47. exhibition account ↗
48. Alacoque, Bulliet & James 2024, *Royal Society Open Science* 11:240373 ↗
49. Viñas-Caron et al. 2024, “From Fleece to Thread,” *The Common Thread*, pp.33–60 ↗
50. Daly et al. 2025, *Science* 387:492–497 ↗
51. Evershed et al. 2008, *Nature* 455:528–531 ↗
52. Israel Museum booklet ↗
53. Goren, Asscher, Shalev, Batiashvili, Nabisoy, Pagelson, Pinsky & Rosenberg 2025, “The advent of complex metallurgy,” *JAS* 182:106364 ↗
54. Rose et al. 2023 ↗
55. lost-wax experiment ↗
56. Abu Matar 2024 ↗
57. Wilkin et al. 2023, *iScience* 26:107482 ↗
58. Hauptmann et al. 2002 metal/isotope analysis ↗
59. UNESCO nomination dossier ↗
60. primary comparative paper ↗
61. Fernández-Crespo et al. 2023, *Scientific Reports* 13:17103 ↗
62. Kiel University research release of 8 June 2026 ↗
63. study ↗
64. Scottish Archaeological Research Framework ↗
65. PAS find 240220 ↗
66. Shackleton & Renfrew 1970, *Nature* 228:1062–1065 ↗
67. primary Radiocarbon study ↗
68. PLOS ONE 2022 ↗
69. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(03)13992-X ↗
70. Iceman's Copper Axe ↗
71. The Iceman lithic assemblage ↗
72. Varna Necropolis Gold Display ↗
73. Ljubljana Marshes Wheel with axle (oldest wooden wheel yet discovered) ↗
74. Treasure of Nahal Mishmar (2) ↗
75. Neolithic jadeite axehead (plan) ↗
76. Arheološko nalazište Rudna glava 01 ↗
77. Prehistoric copper smelting in a pit ↗
78. How to Smelt Chalcolithic Copper ↗
79. Great Orme smelting and bronze casting ↗
80. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ljubljana_Marshes_Wheel_with_axle_(oldest_wooden_wheel_yet_discovered).jpg ↗
81. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Treasure_of_Nahal_Mishmar_(2).JPG ↗
82. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neolithic_jadeite_axehead_(plan)_(FindID_240220).jpg ↗
83. ore-alteration study ↗
84. excavator statement by Savaş Sarıaltun ↗
85. https://tr.linkedin.com/posts/sava%C5%9F-sar%C4%B1altun-a4674766_%C3%A7ay%C3%B6n%C3%BC-tepesi%CC%87nde-bakirin-hi%CC%87k%C3%A2yesi%CC%87ne-yeni%CC%87-activity-7500900289437396993-xEbU): ↗
86. Zink et al., online 2018 / issue 2019, *International Journal of Paleopathology* ↗
87. Nerlich et al. 2021, *Der Pathologe*, 30-year pathological review ↗
88. Seiler et al. 2013, *European Journal of Oral Sciences* 121:137–141 ↗
89. Keller et al. 2012, *Nature Communications* 3:698 ↗
90. Maixner et al. 2016, *Science* 351:162–165 ↗
91. **Bezzi et al. 2026, *Heritage* 9:339** ↗
92. museum's 9 September release ↗
93. **Sarhan et al. 2026, *Microbiome* 14:135** ↗
94. **35-year museum account, September 2026** ↗
95. primary clothing paper ↗
96. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54825-z): ↗
97. body account ↗
98. open PMC copy ↗
99. Higham et al. 2007, *Antiquity* ↗
100. Higham 2018 accepted paper ↗
101. Honch et al. 2006, *JAS* 33:1493–1504 ↗
102. *The Lost World of Old Europe*, 2010 ↗
103. Szécsényi-Nagy et al. 2025, *Nature Communications* 16:5318 ↗
104. National Archaeological Institute's 3 February 2025 exhibition announcement ↗
105. BTA's December 2024 interview with excavator Vladimir Slavchev ↗
106. 2024 specialist chapter “Prehistoric Wetland Settlements of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast” ↗
107. UNESCO-linked underwater-heritage overview ↗
108. Slavchev interview ↗
109. 2025 Yunatsite study ↗
110. https://joeroe.io/pdf/Gaydarska_et_al_2024_SM.pdf ↗
111. Mazzucco et al. 2024, *JAS: Reports* 56:104579 ↗
112. Mischka 2011, *Antiquity* 85:742–758 ↗
113. Rosenstock 2022, “Speeding up,” in *Draft Animals in the Past, Present and Future* ↗
114. Bondár 2018, “Prehistoric innovations: wheels and wheeled vehicles” ↗
115. research summary ↗
116. primary abstract ↗
117. Ben-Yosef, Tauxe & Levy 2010, *Archaeometry* 52:1110–1121 ↗
118. Minasyan 2024, study of Maykop metal vessels ↗
119. Arslantepe excavation project ↗
120. https://www.imeko.info/publications/tc26-2025/IMEKO-Metroarchaeo-2025-063.pdf ↗
121. primary abstract ↗
122. Gelabert et al. 2024 online / 2025, *Nature Human Behaviour* 9:53–64 ↗
123. museum's 2025 research programme ↗
124. Novak et al. 2021, *PLOS ONE* 16:e0247332 ↗
125. 10.1002/ajpa.24396 ↗
126. Fernández-Crespo et al. 2025, *Science Advances* 11:eadv3162 ↗
127. author abstract at Oxford ↗
128. Demény et al. 2013, *JAS*, source study ↗
129. Peterson 2024, *Archaeometry* 66:1073–1092 ↗
130. London Museum object ↗
131. Salisbury Museum axe ↗
132. Treasure of Nahal Mishmar (7) ↗
133. Treasure of Nahal Mishmar (9) ↗
134. Ljubljana2 077 ↗
135. ReconstructedOetziAxe ↗
136. Fundstelle Ötzi ↗
137. Gold treasure, 4600-4200 BC, AM Varna, Varm24 ↗
138. turning rock into metal ↗
139. malachite to bronze axe ↗
140. glacier 30090904 ↗
141. 29625499 ↗
142. Pexels licence ↗
143. Pixabay ibex 136469 ↗
144. content licence ↗
145. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Treasure_of_Nahal_Mishmar_(7).JPG ↗
146. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Treasure_of_Nahal_Mishmar_(9).JPG ↗

Music

• Original score
  AgentHouse · Project-made score (From Cosmos to Civilization score catalog v4 with bespoke opening and closing)
  Impulse responses: Detmold University of Music SRIR database, CC BY 4.0.