Iron and Identity
Some kind of cataclysm engulfed the Mediterranean in the 1200s-1100s BCE. It has taken some time for the pieces of evidence to be collated and to say with any certainty that it happened, and you will still find academics who say it didn't occur. Iron tools and weapons became available across the known world in the time after this event.
Cities and palaces appear to have burned.Many sites were never re-occupied. The literate worlds of Egypt, the Levant and Mesopotamia repeatedly mention both unruly sea-pirates and scary hordes of nomads.Among the land-based nomads there appear skilled charioteers. Where depictions of these events are shown - mainly ancient Egyptian temple walls, such as Medinet Habu, the sea-pirates also show distinctive helmets and body armour, long swords and double-prowed ships with slightly comedic duck-billed carved prows.
Called the 'Bronze age Collpase' by archaeologists, the urbanised world changed for ever after it had passed. Europe did not have writing, so we have to guess at the effect this cataclysm had on its people. A random find from Germany of a contemporary battle suggests maybe the effect of this devastating event did indeed ripple into cool and muddy northern Europe.
Cities and palaces appear to have burned.Many sites were never re-occupied. The literate worlds of Egypt, the Levant and Mesopotamia repeatedly mention both unruly sea-pirates and scary hordes of nomads.Among the land-based nomads there appear skilled charioteers. Where depictions of these events are shown - mainly ancient Egyptian temple walls, such as Medinet Habu, the sea-pirates also show distinctive helmets and body armour, long swords and double-prowed ships with slightly comedic duck-billed carved prows.
Called the 'Bronze age Collpase' by archaeologists, the urbanised world changed for ever after it had passed. Europe did not have writing, so we have to guess at the effect this cataclysm had on its people. A random find from Germany of a contemporary battle suggests maybe the effect of this devastating event did indeed ripple into cool and muddy northern Europe.
Slides from this session
|