What were the Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages?

A Mesolithic family sitting around a fire
© History Skills

The Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age are three important periods in human history. Each age is named after the material that was used to make tools and weapons during that time.

 

In this article, we will explore each of these ages in more detail, including the important events and developments that took place during each one.

The Stone Age

The Stone Age is the earliest period, and it lasted from about 2.6 million years ago until 3,000 BC.

 

The name comes from the fact that during this time, people used stone to make their tools and weapons.

 

It was a very long period of time, and it is divided into three smaller periods: the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic.

Palaeolithic

The Palaeolithic is the earliest part of the Stone Age. It lasted from about two and a half million years ago until twelve thousand BC.

 

This period of time was also known as the Ice Age, as much of the earth was covered in snow and ice due to very low temperatures.

 

During this time, human beings were hunter-gatherers. This means that they did not live in one place but moved around to find food.

 

They hunted animals for meat and gathered fruits and vegetables. They also used stone to make tools and weapons.

 

The Palaeolithic period ended when the Ice Age ended, which was around twelve thousand BC.

Mesolithic

The Mesolithic period followed the Paleolithic, and it lasted from about 12,000 BC to 8,000 BC.

 

The Mesolithic is the middle part of the Stone Age. During this time, the climate became warmer, and people groups slowly began to give up their hunter-gatherer lifestyles and, instead, chose to live in semi-permanent settlements.

 

In some areas, humans began to experiment with farming, and domesticating animals, such as dogs.

 

This led to a new type of stone tool known as microliths, which were much smaller and more delicate than those of the Paleolithic.

A prehistoric man defends his family from an attacking bear
A prehistoric man defends his family from an attacking bear by an unknown artist. (c. 1840). Wellcome Collection, Item No. 581109i. Public Domain. Source: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/vkk6erby

Neolithic

The Neolithic period was the last part of the Stone Age, and it lasted from eight thousand BC to three thousand BC.

 

The Neolithic is sometimes called the New Stone Age. During this time, the Neolithic Revolution took place.

 

People in many parts of the world began to live in permanent settlements and to adopt larger scale agricultural practices.

 

They also domesticated a wider range of animals, including sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle.

 

This allowed for the growth of cities, and the first river valley civilisations.

First civilisations

The first river valley civilisations developed in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley. 

 

The Mesopotamian civilisation was the first to develop irrigation, which allowed them to farm in a more efficient way.

 

The Egyptian civilisation is known for its pyramids, which were built during the Old Kingdom period.

 

The Indus Valley civilisation is known for its cities, such as Mohenjo-daro and Harappa.

The Bronze Age

The next age is the Bronze Age, which lasted from about three thousand BC to 1200 BC.

 

The name comes from the fact that during this time people began to use bronze to make tools and weapons.

 

Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin, and it is harder than either of these metals on its own.

 

The Bronze Age was a time of great change, as people began to live in cities and to use horses for transportation.

 

The first writing systems also developed during the Bronze Age. The Sumerian civilisation was the first to develop a form of writing known as cuneiform.

 

This was followed by the Egyptian hieroglyphs, and then by the Phoenician alphabet.

A Bronze Age cityscape featuring horse-drawn chariots and mudbrick buildings
© History Skills

The Iron Age

The Iron Age followed the Bronze Age, and it was during this time that we saw the rise of major empires such as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks

 

The Iron Age was a period of time when people began to use iron to make tools and weapons. It lasted from about 1200 BC to 550 BC.

 

Iron became an important technological development, particularly in warfare. Iron weapons were stronger and sharper than bronze, and they allowed for a more effective military.

 

This period of time also saw the development of new forms of transportation, such as the chariot.

Summary

The Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age are three major periods in history. They are separated by the changes that took place in human society, from hunter-gatherers to farmers, and then to city dwellers.

 

Each age saw different advances in technology and architecture, as well as the rise and fall of great civilisations.

 

These ages shaped the world that we live in today, and they continue to fascinate historians and archaeologists alike. 

Further reading