How deadly were Bronze Age weapons? Bronze Age weapons development occurred between 3500 BCE and 1000 BCE. The Bronze Age warfare involved large technological advances for many metal workers. During this violent era, bronze-smiths first learned how to make weapons by refining, smelting, and casting metallic ores.
The Bronze Age is a flexible term due to the various cultures developing metal work during different times. The Bronze Age term is a misnomer because copper weapons rather than true bronze weapons were employed for combat. This bronze warfare era has been sub-categorized by a few professional historians as the Chalcolithic Age. Copper metallurgy was known in China and the Eastern Mediterranean between 3500 BCE and 2500 BCE. By 2000 BCE, copper and bronze weapons usage spread throughout Europe and it developed independently in South Africa.
EARLY BRONZE AGE TOOLS AND WEAPONS
Archaeological discoveries since the 1960s have altered previous theories concerning the technological origins of copper and bronze weapons. While it had been argued that the use of bronze had originated in the Middle East, discoveries near Ban Chiang, Thailand, indicate that bronze tools and weapons were known there as early as 3500 BCE. This preceded the working of bronze’s weapons and tools in the Middle East by several hundred years.
Bronze’s weapons and tools have been found in Asia Minor dating 3000 BCE. At first this alloy was used sparingly, mostly for decorative purposes; the tin needed to make it was not available in the region. Regular imports of tin from Cornwall in Britain during the 2nd millennium BCE, however, made possible wider use of bronze in the Middle East, and it was eventually utilized for tools and weapons.
COPPER TOOLS AND WEAPONS
Raw copper was being pounded into tools, ornaments, and weapons as early as 10,000 BCE. While bronze was not made at that time, later discoveries at Rudna Glavna, in what is now Serbia, have shown that copper was in use there in 3500 BCE. By 3000 BCE bronze began to be used in Greece. In China the Bronze Age did not begin until 1800 BCE. The pre-Columbian civilizations of the Americas had no bronze technology until about AD 1000.
BRONZE AGE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
The Bronze Age in the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean has been divided into three phases: early, middle, and late. The early phase is characterized by increased use of the metal, from the sporadic to the common. It was the time of the Sumerian civilization and the rise of Akkad to prominence in Mesopotamia; it also generated the spectacular treasures of Troy. Babylon reached its height of glory during the middle Bronze Age. Minoan Crete and Mycenaean Greece were major late-Bronze-Age civilizations. The Bronze Age there ended about 1200 BCE, after which iron technology became common.
BRONZE SPEARHEAD WEAPONS
Bronze spearhead weapons were employed for combat during the Mycenaean Era, which was a ferocious combat period among the Greek city-states that dominated most of the Mediterranean world from 3000 BCE to 1000 BCE. The bronze blades employed during this era were roughly 70 centimeters in length.
PERSIAN BRONZE ARROWHEAD
The Persian Arrowheads were made of bronze; the weapons were found in the Persian Luristan Mountains and they date between 1800 BCE and 800 BCE. According to Western archaeologists, the weapons were probably brought to Persia by nomadic warrior tribes from Southern Russia. Other non-Western historians argue that the weapons were made locally. Warriors effectively employed this deadly weapon against their enemies.
BRONZE DAGGER
The bronze daggers were used by many ancient warriors warring throughout North Africa, Middle East, and Europe. Many bronze daggers were double edged blades about 28 centimeters in length and they were designed with finely finger grooved handles.
BRONZE SWORDS
Bronze Age swords appear during the 2nd century BCE. According to W
BRONZE BATTLE AXES
The Bronze battle axes were equipped with sockets to taken from a wooden shaft. The weapons were associated with Celtic warriors. They were first employed as tools, but they became more useful as warfare weapons during hand-to-hand combat. They would become more effective when made from iron.
RELATED SOURCES: The Book of War; Dwight Jon Zimmerman; 2008. The Book of Weapons; Dwight Jon Zimmerman; 2009. The Book of Inventions; Thomas J. Craughwell; 2008. Weapons; Sunita Gahir and Sharon Spencer;2010. Weaponry; Chuck Willis; 2006