Throughout history, several events have marked the end of one era and the beginning of another.

Aspects that today we find everyday, such as the mastery of fire, writing or the wheel were of great importance to the ancient cultures and marked a before and after in their history.

In this article we are going to talk about the Iron Age, the last great period of Prehistory , which receives this name because the human being managed to find a way to work that metal. Let’s see what happened in this period, what great discoveries were made and how they were decisive for the formation of what is our society today.

What is the Iron Age?

The Iron Age, which began around 1000 B.C., is the last metallurgical period in Prehistory, that is, it was the last stage in history to be named after a metal, its predecessors being the Copper Age (6500 B.C.) and the Bronze Age (2800 B.C.).

The main great event that occurred at this time was the ability to extract iron and mold it so that weapons, tools and other utensils could be made.

Iron is not a more resistant mineral than copper or tin, but it is a very abundant metal. For this reason, when it was discovered how to work it, there was a 180-degree turn in history, since the way to mold an economic, abundant and very useful material was achieved, in addition to being a true technological revolution.

Characteristics of this historical period

The Iron Age is divided into two major sub-periods.

  • Iron Age I (1200 B.C. to 1000 B.C.): The only relevant fact is that it was discovered how to work iron.
  • Iron Age II (1000 B.C. to 550 B.C.): The use of iron becomes very popular, reaching levels of mass production and allowing great technological and cultural development.

Before addressing the specific characteristics of this great period, it should be noted that the Iron Age was not a homogeneous period worldwide nor did it begin simultaneously in all cultures of the planet .

Depending on the continent, and according to historians, the Iron Age has different starting dates. When it was discovered how to work iron, this great discovery gradually spread to other parts of the world. In the Ancient East this period arose around the 12th century BC, while Central Europe began later, in the 8th century BC, and Northern Europe in the 6th century. B.C. In Africa, in what would become Nigeria, it began around the 11th century BC.

1. Casting and extraction of iron

The beginning of this great age was, as we have already mentioned, when the human being discovered the way to work the iron.

Iron is a metal that has a high melting point of 1538 °C/ 1808 ºK. It is for this reason that it is believed that the discovery of how to melt it was accidental , since it is surprising that prehistoric humans managed to reach such high temperatures.

It is hypothesized that someone must have inadvertently thrown stones with iron into the fire and that, seeing how this ore melted and could be worked, experiments began with this and the casting technique was perfected . This is the fundamental characteristic of the Iron Age.

2. Resistance vs. abundance

Compared to the most used metal in the previous stage, bronze, iron has a low resistance.

Nevertheless, is one of the most common minerals on Earth, being the fourth most common element in the earth’s crust and the substance that forms 70% of our planet’s core.

This is why its use, compared to other minerals, is very economical, since it is practically everywhere.

3. Weapons

Although it sounds pessimistic to say so, the main driver of technological and scientific development in history has been war.

The manufacture of weapons was increased by the fact that this mineral was more common.

The weapons were manufactured in a similar way to the mass production of modern industry. The cultures that mastered techniques for making iron weapons became strong civilizations that subjugated other peoples.

4. Agriculture

Prehistoric agriculture benefited from the use of this mineral, since it was possible to make tools for the field, such as plow tips and axes .

This made it possible to harvest more, more effectively and in less time. In addition, despite the lower resistance than bronze, it was possible to work harder soils because it is a more common material.

5. Aesthetic culture and art

Better agriculture means more food and more weapons provide security. Thanks to this, the human being of the time had the capacity to specialize in activities independent of food production .

To entertain themselves, the people of these ancient cultures were making jewelry, more complex clothing and handcrafted objects, which was a great cultural advance and a very striking change in prehistoric art.

Each culture developed its own styles, which meant an increase in cultural differences. In addition, companies specialized in the elaboration of certain manufactured products emerged and perfected specific economic activities.

6. Exploration and contact between cultures

Directly related to the manufacture of handicrafts, arises the need and interest to exchange products between cultures .

Thus, the means of transport were also improved, allowing for easier contact between cultures and also a better exploration of the world, expanding what was known until now. Great inventions of the Iron Age that allowed this were the wheel and the sailboat.

7. Population growth

As agriculture improved and there was greater security, there was a demographic increase .

In addition, the houses were built with more solid materials and following techniques that allowed them to be manufactured more efficiently and quickly. The first fortifications were also created, such as walls and buildings with thicker walls.

8. Intellectual development

The advances that occurred during this period contributed to the expansion of knowledge about the world and also to the intellectual capacity of human beings themselves by having more contacts with other cultures .

In other words, with better transportation, it was easier to discover other cultures, with their own technological advances, which were shared, enriching other societies culturally.

End of the Iron Age

Despite the great technological breakthrough that the discovery of how to work iron entailed, in addition to improvements in navigation, agriculture, defence and art, throughout the Iron Age there is no written record that can explain exactly how the people of that time lived.

The great event that put an end to it was the invention of writing, some 3,000 years ago , ending both the Iron Age and the Metal Age and giving rise to the Ancient Age.

Bibliographic references:

  • Deamos, M; Chapa, T. (1997). The Iron Age. Madrid, Spain. Síntesis.
  • Eiroa, J.J. (2006). Nociones de Prehistoria General. Barcelona, Spain. Ariel.
  • Fernández, V. (2007). Prehistory. El largo camino de la humanidad (Prehistory. Madrid, Spain. Alianza.
  • Kristiansen, K. (2001). Europe before history. Barcelona, Spain. Ediciones Península.
  • Menéndez, M. (2013). Recent prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula. Madrid, Spain. UNED.