What were the circumstances that prevented metal tool and weapon working techniques from becoming widespread in the pre-Columbian Americas? Metallurgy for vanity items existed en masse, and some evidence of utilitarian metallurgy exists in western Mexico, but why did it stop there and not spread? | AskHistorians Archive Observer

What were the circumstances that prevented metal tool and weapon working techniques from becoming widespread in the pre-Columbian Americas? Metallurgy for vanity items existed en masse, and some evidence of utilitarian metallurgy exists in western Mexico, but why did it stop there and not spread?

by MissBrainProblems

silverappleyard

Not to discourage any further discussion, but we have some great answers on this subject in our Metalworking in Pre-Columbia’s Americas section of the FAQ, particularly by u/Reedstilt and u/Mictlantecuhtli.