Did Pre-columbian indians have use of iron?

Question

There are people that claim they had use of iron, but that it rusted away in the rain forests. What would you say to that?

Answer 1

This is a good question because these people obvious had metallurgical skills with silver and gold for ornamentation, So why did they fight with obsidian tipped spears and arrows rather than copper, bronze, or iron? I suspect they felt they didn't need a substitute for the obsidian which had proven adequate over the centuries. Sub-Saharan Africans figured out the forging of iron well before European influence. The Incas, Mayans, Toltecs, Olmecs, and Aztecs were not stupid. In some ways they were quite sophisticated. They didn't use wheels either but probably because there was no pressing need for wheeled vehicles when manpower served adequately. Besides, they had no horses, mules, or oxen to pull wheeled carts anyway. It may well be true that necessity IS the "Mother of Invention". Still, one would think there were other utilitarian uses for iron that they might have latched upon - such as cooking utensils. It is curious.

Answer 2

Iron is Pre-Columbian America is difficult to find evidence for. If it was used, it was likely too rare for effective and widespread use.

Come to think of it, I don't think they had Bronze either- I think they used Stone; esp Obsidian and animal bones.

Answer 3

There is some evidence of this, but it is rare, scattered and questionable. The best guess is that if they did use iron, it was not on any regular basis and never became widespread.