Lead was one of the earliest metals discovered by the human race and was in use by 3000 B.C. Lead and copper were the first types of metal to be used regularly in roofing. Both materials became popular in Europe. Flat-seamed copper was first used on cupolas and church domes in England in the 1700s.
Lead was first used to replace shingles or woods where they would not fit on awkwardly shaped roofs during this same time period Lead is not at all easily corroded, or eaten away.
Unlike iron and steel, it does not need protection by painting. Underneath the film, lead is a bright, shiny bluish-white metal, when you scrape it you notice how soft lead is. It is this malleability that makes it easy to squeeze or roll lead into different shapes.