Credit for the introduction of a systematic division of antiquities into stone, bronze, and iron is generally given to Christian Thomsen (1788-1865), who was the curator of the Danish National Museum of Antiquities in the early nineteenth century. Thomsen recognized that there were certain collections that contained no metals, others that had only bronze, and others that included iron. His successor, J. A. A. Worsaae (1821-85), transformed this system of organizing collections into an archaeological tool by demonstrating that the collections with just stone artifacts were earlier than those that included bronze, and that these in turn were earlier than those that included iron. Thus, the ‘three-age system’ of Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages was established and was eventually adopted throughout Europe.
Although modern archaeologists realize that this tripartite division of prehistoric society is far too simple to reflect the complexity of change and continuity, terms like ‘Bronze Age’ are still used as a very general way of focusing attention on particular times and places and thus facilitating archaeological discussion. In the case of the Bronze Age of northern and western Europe, the topic of discussion is the second millennium BC, plus several centuries beforehand and afterward. Neolithic society did not turn into the Bronze Age overnight, nor did Bronze Age society suddenly decide that it was time for the Iron Age to begin. As with many archaeological categories, the Bronze Age is not only a time but also a set of technological, social, and economic practices that had earlier roots and later consequences.
World History
