"The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization."
Study of the major civilizations during the Bronze Age, including their culture, religion, economy, politics, and influence.
Archaeology: The study of past human societies and their material culture through excavation and analysis of artifacts, structures, and other physical remains.
Chronology: The study of the ordering of events in time, including the use of dating methods and the construction of timelines.
Technology: The study of the tools, machinery, and other techniques used to create artifacts, structures, and other material culture.
Trade: The study of the exchange of goods and services between different societies, including routes and networks of trade, trade alliances, and the role of trade in shaping cultural exchange.
Agriculture: The study of farming practices and the development of agriculture as a key factor in the emergence of complex societies.
Religion: The study of belief systems, rituals, and practices associated with Bronze Age religions, including the role of religion in shaping social and political structures.
Political organization: The study of the political structures and systems of governance employed by Bronze Age civilizations, including the development of hierarchies, monarchies, and city-states.
Social organization: The study of social structures and patterns of behavior within Bronze Age societies, including the role of gender, kinship networks, and social classes.
Art and architecture: The study of artistic styles and techniques, along with the development of architectural forms and building technologies.
Warfare: The study of the military technologies and strategies employed by Bronze Age civilizations, along with the role of warfare in shaping political and social structures.
Mesopotamian Civilization: Located in the fertile valleys of the Tigris-Euphrates river system in modern-day Iraq, this civilization is considered the first to develop a writing system, a complex bureaucracy, and the wheel. Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian were some of the languages spoken.
Indus Valley Civilization: This civilization existed in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent from 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE. The Indus Valley Civilization was known for innovative urban planning and impressive drainage systems built on standardized brick sizes. Their writing system has not yet been deciphered, so we don't know much about their language.
Minoan Civilization: This civilization existed on the island of Crete in Greece and was known for its advanced architecture, such as palaces, and its frescoes. They traded extensively along the Mediterranean and may have played an important role in the overall Bronze Age trade network.
Mycenaean Civilization: The Mycenaean civilization existed in Greece from around 1600 BCE to 1100 BCE and was known for its palaces, such as the famous Palace of Knossos, and its impressive military prowess.
Aegean Civilization: This civilization was located on the Aegean Sea islands and the surrounding mainland, including Crete, Rhodes, and Cyprus. These were early Bronze Age cultures that remained relatively isolated until the arrival of the Minoans and Mycenaeans.
Shang Dynasty Civilization: Located in the Yellow River Valley in China, the Shang Dynasty was known for its extensive use of bronze and for its development of a complex writing system, which were both important cultural and technological advancements.
Olmec Civilization: This civilization existed in the tropical lowlands of what is now south-central Mexico from 1200 BCE to 400 BCE. The Olmecs created impressive works of art, including stone heads, and were known for their ceremonial centers.
Norte Chico Civilization: Located on the coast of modern-day Peru, the Norte Chico Civilization is one of the oldest known civilizations in the Americas and is believed to have existed from around 3500 BCE to 1800 BCE. They developed a unique form of irrigation and created some of the largest stone structures in the Americas.
Nuragic Civilization: The Nuragic civilization existed on the island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean from around 1800 BCE to 238 BCE. They were known for their impressive Mediterranean towers and advanced metalworking skills.
"...it either produced bronze by smelting its own copper and alloying it with tin, arsenic, or other metals, or traded other items for bronze from production areas elsewhere."
"Bronze is harder and more durable than the other metals available at the time, allowing Bronze Age civilizations to gain a technological advantage."
"Tin's low melting point of 231.93 °C (449.47 °F) and copper's relatively moderate melting point of 1,085 °C (1,985 °F) placed them within the capabilities of the Neolithic pottery kilns... Tin's higher temperature required for smelting, in addition to the greater difficulty of working with the metal, placed iron out of reach of common use until the end of the second millennium BC."
"...the collapse affected a large area of the Eastern Mediterranean (North Africa and Southeast Europe) and the Near East, in particular Egypt, eastern Libya, the Balkans, the Aegean, Anatolia, and the Caucasus."
"...it brought a sharp economic decline to regional powers, notably ushering in the Greek Dark Ages."
"According to archaeological evidence, cultures in Mesopotamia (cuneiform script) and Egypt (hieroglyphs) developed the earliest practical writing systems."
"The Bronze Age is the second principal period of the three-age system proposed in 1836 by Christian Jürgensen Thomsen for classifying and studying ancient societies and history."
"...it either produced bronze by smelting its own copper and alloying it with tin, arsenic, or other metals..."
"Tin's low melting point of 231.93 °C (449.47 °F) and copper's relatively moderate melting point of 1,085 °C (1,985 °F)."
"The Bronze Age generally followed the Neolithic period, with the Chalcolithic serving as a transition."
"...there were no tin bronzes in Western Asia before trading in bronze began in the 3rd millennium BC."
"The Bronze Age is said to have ended with the Late Bronze Age collapse, a time of widespread societal collapse during the 12th century BC, between c. 1200 and 1150."
"It was sudden, violent, and culturally disruptive for many Bronze Age civilizations."
"...it brought a sharp economic decline to regional powers."
"...lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC..."
"...the collapse affected a large area of the Eastern Mediterranean (North Africa and Southeast Europe) and the Near East..."
"It is also considered the second phase, of three, in the Metal Ages."
"...characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization."
"According to archaeological evidence, cultures in Mesopotamia (cuneiform script) and Egypt (hieroglyphs) developed the earliest practical writing systems."