  the iron age is the period generally occurring after the bronze age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. the early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. the adoption of these materials coincided with other changes in society, including differing agricultural practices, religious beliefs and artistic styles. the iron age as an archaeological term indicates the condition as to civilization and culture of a people using iron as the material for their cutting tools and weapons. the iron age is the third principal period of the three-age system created by christian thomsen (1788â1865) for classifying ancient societies and prehistoric stages of progress.c. j. thomsen and jens jacob asmussen worsaae first applied the system to artifacts. in historical archaeology, the ancient literature of the iron age includes the earliest texts preserved in manuscript tradition. sanskrit and chinese literature flourished in the iron age. other texts include the avestan gathas, the indian vedas and the oldest parts of the hebrew bible. the principal feature that distinguishes the iron age from the preceding ages is the introduction of alphabetic characters, and the consequent development of written language which enabled literature and historic record. {|align=center | imagesize = width:444 height:55 plotarea = left:15 right:15 bottom:20 top:10 alignbars = justify colors = id:time value:rgb(0.7,0.7,1) # id:period value:rgb(1,0.7,0.5) # id:age value:rgb(1,0.4,0.4) # id:era value:rgb(1,0.85,0.5) # id:eon value:rgb(1,0.85,0.7) # id:filler value:gray(0.8) # background bar id:black value:black period = from:-9300 till:2013 timeaxis = orientation:horizontal scalemajor = unit:year increment:1000 start:-9300 scaleminor = unit:year increment:100 start:-9300 plotdata = align:center textcolor:black fontsize:10 mark:(line,black) width:15 shift:(0,-5) bar:&nbsp; color:filler from:-9300 till:-3250 shift:(0,7) text:stone age from:-9300 till:-3250 shift:(0,-7) text:(neolithic) from: -3250 till: -1200 text:bronze age bar:&nbsp; color:age from: -1200 till: 600 text:iron age :dates are approximate, consult particular article for details |} the beginning of the iron age in europe and adjacent areas is characterized by certain forms of implements, weapons, personal ornaments, and pottery, and also by systems of decorative design, which are altogether different from those of the preceding age of bronze. the work of blacksmithsthis is what is usually meant by just "smith"âdeveloping implements and weaponsâare hamme
Iron_Age