Essay Example on Ancient Iron: From Rare to Revolutionary

During the ancient period, iron was not recognized by the man most probably because other metals such as bronze were used to perform special roles. It was considered a rare and inferior material. Its tools and weapons were not as hard and durable as bronze counterparts. A thousand years later, the man realized that iron could be worked into weapons and tools; this was at around 1500 BC when the metal fell by mishap into a fire and ventilated into twisted iron. The transition from the Bronze Age began to be felt at different spots around the world. Iron brought significant changes, for instance, it changed how people grew crops and fought in wars. In this paper, the focus is to explore Iron, a metal that was discovered by an early man during the Hittites and Mycenaean empires civilization and its three main effects on history: it affected agriculture, warfare, and economies of the world.

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The event that led to the emergence of iron is the collapse of Bronze Age civilizations including the Hittite empire and the Mycenaean; it took place at around 1200 BC. Iron could be worked into weapons and tools. Perhaps, it contributed to cultural exchange and made life easier by the time man has settled into small villages. Research done by Whipps highlights that iron was considered a superior bronze metal. It was used to make tools and blades that were sharper and stronger and it had a direct impact on warfare. During the period from 1100 to 1250 BC, the collapse of Bronze Age Kingdoms was experienced. Erb-Satullo et al. suggest that the Hittite Empire in Turkey and Mycenaean civilization in Greece has been destroyed, trade routes destroyed, something that caused a shortage of copper, bronze and other metals that were used. The only available option was copper. Whipps et al. believe that people could develop tools and weapons from iron, which they used to confront their enemies. Iron metal came in response to bronze and copper shortage and it gave Kingdoms in Europe and Africa immense power. According to archaeological records, three hundred years later, An Iron Age was established. However, during this period, there is clear evidence showing the different iron-made objects that were used for warfare. For instance, swords, spears, shields and more are the most obvious weapons that explain the reception of an Iron Age. From the analysis of the recent distribution of iron weapons and tools, Iron Age created a distinctive class of settlement. A better example is the chronological sequence at the Maiden Castle. It shows the changes that took place during the traditional period and the continual rampant construction that heightened its design.

Moreover, the iron was invented during a blacksmith age, a period when farming was significant in every village. People in parts of southwest Asia and western Africa developed a broader picture of the evolution of agriculture, particularly from crops. Agriculture was the primary source of livelihood since the traditional economy relied on the foods produced for subsistence and not for profits. Tribes in Europe had settled into small village life and they used tools made from iron to toil the soil. Sarkar asserts that the common tools most people in Europe and Africa used comprised of sickles and plowing tips. These tools helped farmers to exploit tougher soils and try new crops in a more efficient way. Before the emergence of iron, farmers were using digging sticks to till the land. Also, they used long-handled hoes for more earth manipulation, but many times, they were disappointed because they could not penetrate in margins of deserts such as in West Africa. However, the discovery of iron led to improve farming in that improved version of recently existing tools could be used.

Further, the invention of the iron had an impact on the economies of the world. Whipps et al. propose that the invention of the iron is not restricted to its adoption. It is not connected to activities that were done to solve human needs, but the long-standing experience. Despite being used in agriculture, the value of iron heightened. During the era of smelting, iron was used as money and in ritual exchanges. Iron was considered important for use as a local currency in Liberia, Southern Guinea, Northern Cameroon, and more. Its abundance was further used following the post-European imports. Though several studies say that the innovation of iron evolved to address the collapse of kingdoms, it was also used in trade. Iron materials are the major economic realignments in the Iron Age era due to the social-economic context concerning its spread. Also, the metal was used for ritual exchange; there is evidence that shows traces of ritual destruction. Even today, the association between iron and other metals shows its value.

Conclusion

In conclusion, iron tools, and weapons and the way, they were made changed many kingdoms during the Iron Age period. Iron came in response to a shortage of bronze and copper, but from the above analysis, it is clear that it directly impacted the economy and the field of agriculture positively. During this era, people used iron materials to make tools that are stronger and sharper than the earlier ones. These tools and weapons helped them during the war and in their farmlands. They could also use an iron to trade and even for exchange rituals.

Bibliography

Blench, Roger, and Mallam Dendo. "African agricultural tools: implications of synchronic ethnography for agrarian history." In Paper presented at 5th International Workshop for African Archaeobotany, vol. 1, p. 4. 2006. http://rb.rowbory.co.uk/Archaeology/Africa/Blench%20IWAA%202006%20paper%20revised.pdfErb-

Satullo, Nathaniel L. "The Innovation and Adoption of Iron in the Ancient Near East." Journal of Archaeological Research 27, no. 4 (2019): 557-607. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10814-019-09129-6

Haaland, Randi. "Ritual and political aspects of ironworking; iron in war and conflict." Archaeology of Early Northeastern Africa (2006): 135-52. https://www.academia.edu/download/54766893/ritual_and_political_aspects.pdf

Sarkar, Bikash, Prem Kumar Sundaram, Amitava Dey, Ujjwal Kumar, Kamal Sarma, and B. P. Bhatt. "Traditional agricultural tools used by tribal farmers in Eastern India." Research Journal of Agricultural Sciences 6, no. 1 (2015): 215-219. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Prem_Sundaram2/publication/273257207_Traditional_Agricultural_Tools_used_by_Tribal_Farmers_in_Eastern_India/links/54fc556e0cf20700c5e969d0.pdf

Sharples, Niall MacPherson. "Warfare in the Iron Age of Wessex." Scottish Archaeological Review 8 (1991): 79-89. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/60514/1/warfare%20paper.pdfWhipps, Heather. "How the Iron Age Changed the World." Live Science, 2008. https://www.livescience.com/2339-iron-age-changed-world.html