Iron Age

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In archaeology, the Iron Age was the stage in the development of any people in which tools and weapons whose main ingredient was iron were prominent. The adoption of this material often coincided with other changes in society, including differing agricultural practices, religious beliefs and artistic styles.

In history, the Iron Age is the last principal period in the three-age system for classifying prehistoric societies, preceded by the Bronze Age. Its date and context vary depending on the country or geographical region.

No firm ending date is set for the Iron Age in any particular society; there is simply a point where archaeology becomes less important than surviving history and traditions. Iron alloys remain popular as the steels in most metallic objects.

Classically, the Iron Age is taken to begin in the 12th century BCE in the ancient Near East, ancient Iran, ancient India, and ancient Greece. In other regions of Europe, it started much later, while in central Anatolia it started earlier: The Hittites used the first iron in the 14th century BCE. The Iron Age began in the 8th century BCE in central Europe and the 6th century BCE in northern Europe.

The Iron Age is usually said to end in the Mediterranean with the onset of historical tradition during Hellenism and the Roman Empire, and in Northern Europe with the early Middle Ages.

Based on Wikipedia content that has been reviewed, edited, and republished under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 3.0 license. Last reviewed by Jan van der Crabben on 28 April 2011. Please help and improve this definition!

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Articles

  • The people of Iron Age Britain

    The people of Iron Age Britain were physically very similar to many modern Europeans and there is no reason to suppose that all Iron Age Britons had the same hair colour, eye colour or skin complexion. Iron Age Britons spoke one or more Celtic language, which probably spread to Britain through trade...

  • The health of Iron Age Britons

    It is likely that many people in Iron Age Britain would have died from diseases as babies or children. Many of those people who survived to be adults rarely lived beyond the ages of 35-45. Only about a third of all adults lived longer. Studies of the bones of Iron Age people suggest that at least...
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Timeline

Visual Timeline
  • 1523 BC - 1070 BC
    The New Kingdom of Egypt.
  • c. 1380 BC
    First instances of iron working in the Hittite Empire.
  • 1000 BC
    Iron working in southern Europe.
  • c. 800 BC - c. 600 BC
    Early Iron Age Hallstatt culture flourishes across Europe.
  • 750 BC
    Emergence of Hallstatt Iron Age culture in Europe.
  • 750 BC
    Iron working is introduced to Egypt.
  • 700 BC
    Iron in wide use across Europe.
  • c. 200 BC
    Iron in the Celtic world experiences a significant boom. Iron manufacturing increase in all facets of life such as weapon construction and agriculture items.