Iron Age

Iron Age
1. the period in the history of humankind, following the Stone Age and the Bronze Age, marked by the use of implements and weapons made of iron.
2. (l.c.) Class. Myth. the present age, following the bronze age; the last and worst of the four ages of the human race, characterized by danger, corruption, and toil.
3. (l.c.) any age or period of degeneracy or wickedness.
[1585-95]

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Final technological and cultural stage in the Stone–Bronze–Iron-Age sequence (or Three-Age System) in which iron largely replaced bronze in implements and weapons.

The start of the Iron Age varied geographically, beginning in the Middle East and southeastern Europe с 1200 BC but in China not until с 600 BC. Though the large-scale production of iron implements brought new patterns of more permanent settlement, use of iron for weapons put arms in the hands of the masses for the first time and set off a series of large-scale movements and conquests that did not end for 2,000 years and that changed the face of Europe and Asia. See also Bronze Age.

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 final technological and cultural stage in the Stone–Bronze–Iron-Age sequence. The date of the full Iron Age, in which this metal for the most part replaced bronze in implements and weapons (weapon), varied geographically, beginning in the Middle East and southeastern Europe about 1200 BCE but in China not until about 600 BCE. Although in the Middle East iron had limited use as a scarce and precious metal as early as 3000 BCE, there is no indication that people at that time recognized its superior qualities over those of bronze. Between 1200 and 1000, however, the export of knowledge of iron metallurgy and of iron objects was rapid and widespread. With the large-scale production of iron implements came new patterns of more permanent settlement. On the other hand, utilization of iron for weapons put arms in the hands of the masses for the first time and set off a series of large-scale movements of peoples that did not end for 2,000 years and that changed the face of Europe and Asia.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Iron Age — n the Iron Age the period of time about 3000 years ago when iron was first used for making tools, weapons etc →↑Bronze Age, ↑Stone Age …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Iron Age — n. 1. a phase of many human cultures, often following a Bronze Age, characterized by the introduction and development of iron tools and weapons; specif., in Europe beginning c. 1000 B.C. 2. Gr. & Rom. Myth. the last and worst age of the world,… …   English World dictionary

  • Iron Age — 1590s, originally from Greek and Roman mythology, the last and worst age of the world; the archaeological sense of period in which humans used iron tools and weapons is from 1879 …   Etymology dictionary

  • Iron Age — ► NOUN ▪ a period that followed the Bronze Age, when weapons and tools came to be made of iron …   English terms dictionary

  • Iron Age — This article is about the historical / archaeological period known as the Iron Age. For the mythological Iron Age, see Ages of Man. Iron Age This box: view · talk · …   Wikipedia

  • Iron Age — N PROPER: the N The Iron Age was a period of time which began when people started making things from iron about three thousand years ago. ...the remains of an Iron Age fort …   English dictionary

  • Iron Age — the Iron Age the period of time about 3000 years ago when iron was first used for making tools, weapons etc compare Bronze Age, Stone Age …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • Iron Age — noun Iron Age is used before these nouns: ↑fort …   Collocations dictionary

  • Iron Age, the — Iron ,Age, the noun the period of time when people made tools and weapons from iron, starting around 1500 BC, after the Bronze Age …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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