Metal age

1. The Metal Age

2. It is the last period of Prehistory

3. It started around 4,500 BC

4. … and ended when the first written texts began to be used ( that happened depending on the area ) In Europe , the first written texts appeared during the first millenium BC

5. The Metal Age is divided into three periods : - Copper Age - Bronze Age - Iron Age

6. Copper and gold were the first metals ever used by humans

7. Copper and gold were hit with a stone or with a hammer made of stone .

8. Copper was used for making tools and weapons . However , copper tools bend easily , so they were not very effective .

9. Gold jewelry . Some examples

10. Then came bronze . Bronze is an alloy (a mixture) of copper and tin . Both were melted and mixed . Bronze is much stronger than copper , so it was used primarily for making weapons , tools for agriculture and domestic utensils .

11. Bronze utensils for agriculture

12. Bronze hoe

13. Bronze sickle

14. Swords and spears

15. Shields

16. Domestic utensils , and figurines

17. Iron was even stronger than bronze

18. Only few people knew how to elaborate iron weapons and tools . These peoples became powerful

19. Two processes : 1. Metal was heated in the oven. Then , it was hit with a hammer to create the weapon or another utensil . 2. Metal was heated and melted . Then , it was poured into a mould . When the metal cools , the weapon is ready to be used . mould

20. Of course , pots and objects made of clay continued to be made during the Metal Age

21. The potter's wheel was invented

22. There were more artisans . As a consequence , trade between distant regions expanded .

23. Of course , agriculture and animal farming continued being the most important economic activities .

24. The plough was invented

25. Ships started to be built for trade purposes . For examples , ships went from Britain to Europe . They traded with the continent .

26. Transport also improved thanks to the discovery of the wheel !

27. Amber was exported from Northern Europe to other areas

28. Villages grew .

29. And social inequalities increased .