[card_zero]

> This is all a digression from the main claims, so I'd prefer that people don't pull on this thread

You want to say your piece and get no back-chat?

Romans started to hit people with iron swords at a certain date, influencing the history of Europe substantially, so the origin of that iron age is interesting. Elsewhere, a copper smelting site of 500 BC would be interesting: consider the Moche, in Peru, who independently had a sort of bronze age around that time while Europe was into iron. (I don't think they did anything much with their bronze because they were too preoccupied with body fluids and erotic pottery.)

[noduerme]

Just out of curiosity, what was their deal with their precious bodily fluids? Some Dr Strangelove type paranoia? Or just a usual Friday at a swingers club?

[card_zero]

It was all about the irrigation, apparently. It's vital to keep life-giving fluids in your irrigation canal, and by extension also in your body, otherwise you're a loser. Something along those lines.

[WhereIsTheTruth]

Ancient Egypt began to use iron objects centuries before most of Europe, the metal was still rare and prized

Tutankhamun's dagger, for example, was crafted from iron and was probably a diplomatic gift from Mitanni (modern day Syria/Turkey)

Way before your Roman Empire

[card_zero]

Extremely rare meteoric iron, yes. So, not a historically significant iron age. Neat and all, but not a big cultural upheaval, making one dagger.

[fennecfoxy]

>Way before your Roman Empire

Lmao the one-sided cucumber measuring going on in this whole comment chain.

Like one whole side is interested in talking about the origins of certain _types_ of metalworking and the other is more interested in chest-beating about the technicalities of who did it first.