BRONZE AGE

 Definition-
1. Bronse age is a category that refer to devleopments
associated with about 3000 years between 4000 BCE to 1000
BCE. There were several bronze age civilization have been
idenitifed as Mesopotamian, Egyptian civilization, china and
crit island settlements.
2. Schlors primarily BAC Mesopotamia were marked by
technological innovations. Most importantly the introduction
of bronze mettalurgy the introduction of the potter wheel,
beginning of monumental architecture these changes were
also accompainied by- some other innovations and
pathbreaking developemnets- begning of writing system,
beginning of maths, begning of weights and measures these
changes took place in a society came to be marked by
occupational specialization- class divided society, greater
dependance on long distance trade.
3. A bronze age civilization is marked by hughly symbolic
representational art- gorden childe- identified all the
innovation to have led to URBAN REVOLUTION and
STATE FORMATION.
4. Bronze age Mesopotamian – trend setter.
5. In recent times, argued by some schlors that some BAC did
not had all the features mentioned.
6. Exception- mayan civilization of Mexico – it did not had a
script- people continued to be depended on knot system.
These examples establish the fact that a BAC need not always
be idenitied particular scientific features. It is primarily to be
identified on the basis of certain other structural and societal
changes. For instances every BAC came to associated be
territorial boundaries.
7. Institutionalization of poity emergence of state formation,
redistributive ecnomy- where a central authority controls
distrubtion of good , resourecs, animals, land .
 8. Division of labor- occupational- highly complex society-
 EMERGENCE/ ORIGIN OF BAC THEORIES-
1. Environmental background of different civilzations- to look
at the process undertaken by the civilization to emerege as
complex socities and economies. One such scholar is Karl
Wittfogelo- oriental despotism- irrigation theory- hydraulic
hypothesis. Argued that almost all the primarily east(china,
harrapa, mesoptamia). Agragian socities were depenedent of
nature for successful agriculture. He argued that all the
elemnets of nature water remains the most manipuble element
of nature. However he argued that in some parts of the world-
southern Mesopotamia- Sumer- he argued that water was
scarce. On the basis of this argument- he argued that certain
section undertook the construction and maintenance of
canals. Use of labour, particular individuals and groups-
beginning the groups and individuals undertook the task. He
implemented this theory to three civilizations- harrapa,
Mesopotamia and china. Water was not readily available-
provided irrigation network.
2. Robert adams- on basis of his investigation but he says that
major canals came to be constructed after the formation of
state. Earliest irrigation activities were on small scales it
could not have led to .