The Bronze Age (3300-1200BC)

and The Iron Age (1200-586BC)

The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and

widespread use) consists of techniques for smelting copper and tin from naturally occurring outcroppings of ore, and then alloying those metals in

order to cast bronze

Hemingway, Colette, and Seán Hemingway. "Prehistoric Cypriot Art and Culture". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pcyp/hd_pcyp.htm (October 2004)

Group of four vases, ca. 2300–2000 B.C.; Early Bronze Age

The Beginnings of the Bronze Age

“…people began making small tools and decorative ornaments from the native copper (chalkos); thus the phase is termed Chalcolithic, referring to the transition from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age.”

Bowl with handles terminating in lotuses, ca. 850–750 B.C

Spearhead, 12th century B.C.;Late Bronze AgeCypriot

Standard with two long-horned bulls, 2400–2000 B.C.; Early Bronze Age

This pair of long-horned bullsprobably served as a finialfor a religious or ceremonialstandard.

"Standard with two long-horned bulls [North central Anatolia] (55.137.5)". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/02/waa/hod_55.137.5.htm (October 2006)

Iron Age

                                                                                                           

                            

Spouted jar and stand, 9th century B.C.Iran,

The Iron Age is the last principal period in the three-age system for classifying pre-historic societies, preceded by the Bronze Age. Its date and context vary depending on the country or geographical region.

                                                                                                       

                                

Statuette of a female, Iron Age; 1st millennium B.C., earlyIran, Caspian region

Sword, mid-1st century B.C.; Late Iron Age, CelticIron blade, L. 19 3/4 in.

                                                                                                      

                                 

Incense burner, Iron Age; 1st millennium B.C., middle Arabian peninsula,