The Bronze Age Ended Because Tin Ran Short
Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. Its ingredients came from different places, and that dependence helped end an age.
Bronze is an alloy of copper with tin, harder than either metal alone. Its weakness was logistical: copper and tin rarely occur together, so bronze-making depended on long trade routes. When those networks collapsed around 1200 BC, bronze became hard to make, and iron — abundant and local — took over despite being harder to work.
- A copper-tin alloy. *A bronze statue.*
- A reddish-brown colour. *Bronze skin.*
- Third place. *A bronze medal.*
- Bronze Age — the era of bronze tools. *Bronze Age burials.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | bronze | Cast in bronze. |
| Adjective | bronze | A bronze finish. |
| Verb | bronze | Bronzed by the sun. |
| Related | brass | Polished brass. |
| Related | patina | A green patina. |
How it is used in a sentence
- She took bronze in the final.Third place.
- The statue has a green patina.Bronze oxidises to green over time.
- Bronze Age settlements dot the valley.Archaeology.
Bronze and brass
- Bronze — copper and tin
- Brass — copper and zinc
- Bell metal — a bronze with high tin content
- Patina — the green surface layer bronze develops outdoors
- Lost-wax casting — the ancient method for detailed bronze sculpture
From French *bronze*, from Italian *bronzo*, possibly from Brindisi, a port associated with the metal, or from a Persian word for copper.
Bronze or brass?
Bronze is copper with tin, brass is copper with zinc. Brass is yellower and more workable.
Why did iron replace bronze?
Iron ore is far more widely available. When the trade routes carrying tin broke down, local iron became the practical choice.