>From: Mikko Rintasaari <mikrin_at_...>
>
>...Iron had
>been used throughout the Bronze Age as well, but primarily for
>ceremonial artifacts. It was expensive. Iron took greater amounts of
>labor, and for that cost derived an inferior product. Iron could not
>keep its edge as effectively as bronze; it was heavier and more brittle.
>Additionally, it was ugly;
The thing is that the definition of the beginning of the Iron Age is where methods of making Iron into superior artifacts become available. Since this varies a lot by locale, it's really culturally specific. So a culture is only Bronze Age to the extent that they haven't
Mike
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