AN INTRODUCTORY COURSE - THE ROLE OF MATERIALS THROUGH THE HISTORY OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION

The raison detre for inserting a simple, complementary course on the history of materials and its role in the history and development of human civilization at the beginning of the Materials Science curriculum is presented and explained. An outline of how this could be done is shown, with examples from Prehistory, the Age of metals, and later historical Ages. Suggestions are made in each section as to how the narration can offer the teacher hints on the connections with contemporary developments and interpretations. For some types of materials a schematic list of the main stages of development in the subsequent times is also given.