por The inventions of men in the Metal Age include advances in metallurgical technique and tools developed in the period between 6500 and 1000 BC
During this period that began after the Stone Age, man discovered metals and began to work them to create basic weapons and tools that served to replace those made of stone.
Agriculture and animal domestication also meant the abandonment of nomadism in favor of settlements, which resulted in more defined social structures.
The most important inventions of the metal age
metallurgical development
After discovering that metals could be cast and shaped, metallurgy was invented. The discovery, whether by chance or experimentation, made it possible to replace the precarious stone tools with ones made to measure from molten copper.
Copper was eventually smelted together with tin to create bronze, until 1,000 years later iron was worked.
mining development
Advances in metallurgy translated into increased demand for raw materials. It was no longer enough to find them by chance, you had to look for them and that started the metal trade.
Anatolia (now Turkey) and Egypt start mining and trading metals.
agriculture development
With moderately developed settlements and after abandoning nomadism, crops could not be left to chance.
Irrigation systems, new crops and the plowing of the land were essential to have food on a regular and predictable basis.
The cultivation of grapes, olive trees and other plants benefited from the new techniques and the use of tools forged with metals, such as sickles, plows and hoes.
Livestock development
The domestication of species allowed to have meat available. Donkeys and oxen were also useful for work and transport of merchandise. From the sheep they obtained wool, milk and cheese and yogurt were discovered.
Trade: the wheel and the ship
By the end of the Iron Age the wheel was invented, which allowed the expansion of trade. Originally made of solid wood, the wheel made it possible to double the amount of load that could be carried on the shoulders.
The development and mastery of the maritime routes, as well as their navigation, resulted in the invention of the sail to propel the boats and with this the navigation began.
Sailing
Sailing changed radically when the sail was developed. Thanks to the fact that this invention took advantage of the force of the wind, the ships increased their speed and, therefore, communications and trade were improved.
the channels
Irrigation canals were another of the great inventions that significantly improved agriculture. They conducted the water from the river, spring or other water settlement to the crops.
They were one of the great engineering works of the time, since they had to have knowledge on the ground and their development was complex due to the difficulties in building them.
grain mill
These mills were used to grind cereal grains. It was one of the great inventions of the time, since it was the origin of the most primitive forms of bread.
other inventions
He rudimentary ovenmade of stones, allowed the cooking of food, the casting of metals to forge tools and the development of ceramics for the production of vessels.
The social structures they also evolved. By becoming sedentary, they begin to form the first societies. Also defines the social statusby creating distinctions between privileged social classes and abolishing equality.
The first calendarsthe basketry and the textile development.
References
Wikipedia – Metal Age en.wikipedia.org
Universal History – Metal Age: Copper, Bronze and Iron historialuniversal.com
10 Characteristics of the Metal Age characteristics.co
INTEF – Prehistory for beginners – roble.pntic.mec.es
Art of prehistory – Copper Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age historiadelteen.com