In the classification of historical times, you have probably heard about the famous Metal Age , although most remain at that, and do not know what are the characteristics and stages that defined that time, one that with its own name already offers clues about it.
Of course, such its name, the Metal Age refers to those moments of civilizations in which objects made of stone appeared and later in other basic materials, many of which continue to be used to this day.
Of course, at that time these materials, copper, bronze and iron were used to definitively replace stone, not so much in the construction of homes or buildings, but rather where it was imperative: in the manufacture of weapons of war to deal with the enemies.
Therefore, we can conclude that the Metal Age provides a very simple subdivision, into three specific stages, the so-called Copper Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age , as predecessors of the Old Age, with which it is definitely abandoned the prehistory.
And to whom do we owe this classification? In principle, to Christian Jürgensen, who in 1820 developed a specific archaeological system, called “The Three Ages”, taking advantage of each revolution of the materials to establish a stage, and thus appeared, for posterity, the now known Copper Age , Bronze Age and Iron Age.
It must also be borne in mind that locating, in exact years, each of these stages is not easy. This is because advances occurred at different times in each of the societies of that time, some copying the innovations and “technologies” of others and reaching them years or decades later . And that prevents being absolutely precise about it.
It is fair to emphasize, in any case, that of the three revolutions in question, the most important or transcendent was that of iron, since it opened the doors to the modern steel industry, with much more complex work than those carried out with copper or bronze. previously.
Furnaces were built that could provide the high temperatures necessary to cast iron, magnificent works were carried out in terms of size, weight and level of finishes. All this, with the advantage that there is more iron than copper or bronze.
On this basis, societies became more complete, and the Old Age would end at last.
