The Bronze Age
(3500 BCE -1000 BCE)
The discovery of bronze marks the beginning of the age of
technology.
Objectives

Discover the meanings of the terms: ore,
smelting, urbanization and bartering

learn how metals were thought to have been
discovered

learn of the advantages of metals over stone

learn of advances made during the Bronze Age
Bronze Age Terms:
Ore: rocks that contain minerals or metals that can be
recovered and sold at a profit
Smelting: the process of removing metal from ore
Urbanization: refers to the growth of cities due to the
migration of people from rural areas to
urban areas
Barter: a system of trading one’s goods for the goods
of another: occurred before the advent of money
How was it discovered?

Questionable…
– 4000 BCE: people observed bubbling substance
coming from rocks, heated by campfires, cooled it,
molded it…more durable than stone… COPPER
If Copper, Why the Bronze Age?

Bronze = copper + tin
 Probably by accident
 Harder, more durable than copper
 About 3500BC
 Middle East
Advances during the Bronze Age








Armies now had bronze armor and weapons
Bronze tools helped farmers become more efficient
Potter’s wheel invented
Navigation improved
Metal working new industry
Trading increased
Urbanization
Increase in world exploration (to find ore)
Potter’s Wheel
The first evidence of the potter's
wheel was found in Egyptian
paintings. Pottery in Egypt was a
skilled craft in the Early Bronze
Age. Potters were revered
members of society.
1. Axe with slight flanges
2. Socketed axe
3. Socketed axe
4. Palstave
5. Palstave
6. Spade
7. Palstave
8. Palstave
9. Socketed axe
10. Socketed axe
11. Socketed axe
16. Hafted Iron knife
12. Socketed spear head
13. Socketed spear head
14. Ferrule of horn for a spear shaft
15. Axe of horn
Bronze Age Sickle
Bronze Age Pottery
Bronze Age
weaponry and
ornaments
Not everyone was keen on switching to bronze
technology as they stuck with the technology they
were familiar and comfortable with.
(view “Bronze Orientation Day” video clip from memory stick)