Definition: The Bronze Age is a fairly arbitrary technological stage invented as part of a three-part system (Stone, Bronze, and Iron) by Danish museum director Christian Jurgensen Thomsen to make sense out of his collections. The stages are still in use in the Old World, although the relevant dates must necessarily change from country to country and region to region.
This glossary entry is part of the
Dictionary of Archaeology. Sources for the term include the references listed on the
front page of the Dictionary, and the websites listed in the sidebar. Any mistakes are the responsibility of
Kris Hirst.
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