Wrought iron was used as early as 2000 BC in the Anatolian peninsula (now Turkey), and it was widely used in construction throughout the 19th century. Advancements in metallurgy in the 20th century, however, have made it easier and less expensive to machine-form and weld metal parts. The comparatively expensive and time-consuming nature of blacksmithing led to the end of its large scale commercial practice in the mid-1970s. This means that most true wrought-iron pieces today are either antiques or specialty pieces that have been smithed by local artisans.