Bronze Age - I
The Bronze Age is characterized by the introduction of bronze and copper. Bronze Age, the era of copper age, is the prehistoric period in which people started using metal (ca. 4000 — 6000 years ago). It is the period of human development which is characterized by making of weapons and tools by bronze (an alloy of copper and tin).
It is the period of development of human civilization between Stone Age and Iron Age, marked by violence and war. Bronze Age is followed by Neolithic period (last stage of Stone Age). This age is characterized by the use of metals.
Bronze Age civilization in Indian Subcontinent
Bronze Age was the era when metals, cooper and bronze, were used for making weapons and other tools. In South Asia, Bronze Age began around 3000 BC in North India (Harappa 1). The Bronze Age, followed the Neolithic age, is actually laid the foundation of Indian modern culture.
In this period urbanized centres were developed along the River Indus banks and its tributaries. These urbanized centres of civilization are famously known as Indus Valley Civilization. This civilization is the oldest urban civilization. On Indian subcontinent, Bronze Age began with the beginning of Indus Valley Civilization around 3300 BCE. People of Indus Valley Civilization developed new techniques of metallurgy with bronze, tin and copper.
This Bronze Age was succeeded by Indian Iron Age around 1000 BC. Bronze Age was primarily centred in Sindh and Punjab (today’s Pakistan) and some areas of Haryana, Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan of modern day India. The Harappans, inhabitants of Indus river valley, produced copper, lead, and tin, and thus also produced new techniques of metallurgy. The Indus Valley Civilization was lasted from about 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE. Indus Valley Civilization is actually the beginning of urbanization on the subcontinent. Civilization marked the beginning of urbanization like water drainage system, multi-storeyed buildings, and built of brick. Ganeriwala, Harappa, and Mohenjo-Daro in modern day Pakistan and Dholavira, Rupar, Kalibangan, Lothal and Rakhigarhi in today’s India are the urban centers of ancient civilization. The Bronze Age ended at the beginning of second millennium and followed by Iron Age Vedic Period.
South India, in contrast, remained in the Mesolithic period since 2500 BC. Bronze Age was completely missing from this part of India. Later on, there might be some connection between the two parts, south and north, of India and south India directly enters into the Iron Age.
Recently, a school teacher in 2006 found a stone in the small village of Tamil Nadu. This Stone found in Nagapattanam district has been carved with an inscription. Later, it was adjudged that it is around 3500 years old. According to Iravatham Mahadevan, the famous Indian epigraphist this finding stands as the grand discovery of a century in the field of archaeology related to Tamil Nadu.
