Used to think bronze age tools were all crude and simple

Honestly I changed my mind after visiting the British Museum last month. They had this display of bronze age swords and axes from the Dover area and the craftsmanship was insane. Like the edges were almost sharp enough to shave with and the patterns in the metal were really detailed. I always imagined they just pounded stuff out roughly. Now I get why people say Bronze Age smiths were legit artisans. What other ancient tech surprised you?

2 comments

2 Comments

iris_dixon9116d ago

The Dover find changed my mind too, actually. I saw a similar display at a local museum and it blew me away how carefully they ground those edges, like each sword was a personal project not just a tool. The patterns in the metal, the way they inlaid different colored bronze, that took real skill and patience. Makes you realize they weren't just banging rocks together, they had a whole craft tradition going. I still get surprised by how well preserved some of the wooden handles and sheaths are after thousands of years underwater.

hugo_moore16d ago

The Dover swords had 47 of them in that hoard, right? I saw a documentary where a guy tried to replicate one of the inlay patterns and it took him six weeks just to get the edge right. Meanwhile I can barely carve a decent pumpkin for Halloween without my students laughing at it.