Compiled by Abena Osei-Anane [5 min read]
 |
| The ages of materials technology - PC: pininterest.cl |
Earth’s beginnings can be traced back 4.5 billion years ago, but human evolution only counts for a tiny speck of its history.
The pre-history period where there was no documentation of human activities roughly dates from about 2-5 million years ago to 600BC and is categorised in three archaeological periods: the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. These periods are characterised by the prevailing Materials Technology present at a particular time.
STONE AGE
 |
| Getty images |
The Stone Age was the first age and the longest, from 30,000BC to 3,000BC. This era was marked by the use of stones to make tools and weapons. During the paleolithic period, early humans lived in small caves and were mostly hunters. They used basic stone tools as well as stone axes for hunting birds and other wild animals. They were the first to leave behind art by carving small figurines from stones, bones and others.
During the Mesolithic period, humans used small stones polished and crafted with points and attached to bones or wools to serve as spears and arrows. They often lived near rivers and other water bodies. It was at this time that agriculture was introduced and led to more permanent settlements in villages.
 |
| Stone age tools - PC: vectorstock.com |
Finally, during the Neolithic period which was the last period of the Stone Age, ancient humans switched from hunting to agriculture through cultivation of plants and rearing of animals. They used polished axes and adzes made out of stone for ploughing and tilling the land and started to settle in plains.
BRONZE AGE
 |
| Bronze age - PC: www.idesign.wiki |
The Bronze Age was the historical period characterised by the use of bronze and it lasted between 3,000BC and 1,200BC.
Advances in metal working were made as people began to make tools from bronze alloy which is a mixture of Copper and Tin.
It marks the first age humans used to work with metals. These harder metals replaced its stone predecessors and technology advances were made. It helped spark innovations including the ox-drain plow, the first writing systems and the wheel.
Different human societies entered the Bronze Age at different times.
 |
| Bronze age weapons - PC: researchgate.net |
Civilisations in Greece started before 3,000BC, while the British Isles and China entered much later around 1900 BC and 1600BC respectively.
The Bronze Age ended around 1200 BC when humans began to forge an even stronger metal, Iron - which gave rise to the the Iron Age.
IRON AGE
 |
| Iron age - PC: lookandlearn.com |
The Iron Age was the final epoch of the three age divisions of the pre-history and proto-history of humanity.
It was a period between 1200BC and 600BC. The discovery of ways to heat and forge Iron kicked off the Iron Age.
During this age, people started to make tools and weapons from Iron and Steel. Humans began to smelt Iron through the Bronze Age but saw it as an inferior metal because tools and weapons made from it weren’t as hard or durable as those made from bronze.
 |
| Iron age tools - PC: bbc.co.uk |
The use of Iron became wide spread after people learnt how to make steel which was a much harder metal, by heating iron with carbon and also it was much easier to manufacture than bronze.
Along with mass production of steel tools and weapons, this age saw even further advances in architecture, agriculture and art.
Writing systems and written documentation including alphabets began to emerge, ushering in the early historical period which began the Modern age.
MODERN AGE
 |
| Modern age - PC: amazon.com |
The Modern Age began after the middle age and still exists to today. The modern age has seen so many advances in technology through the use of smart materials.
These are materials which have properties that allow it to be controlled by external stimuli such as temperature, stress, light and many other factors.
These materials have helped tremendously in many fields such as agriculture, architecture, electronics, medicine among others.
Smart materials are made from environmentally responsive hydrogens, polymer networks which are capable of retaining large amounts of water without altering their structure.
 |
| Smart material - PC: eitrawmaterials.eu |
The modern age will continue to see more advancement in technology as the years go by through the discovery of more and better materials.
Without advancement in materials, there can't be advancement in technology and hence socio-economic development. Materials continue to play a crucial role in our lives and world.
Materials engineers apply principles in chemistry, physics and mathematics to materials, bringing about new and smarter products that advance our world.
Read Also: How the Quality of Local Cornmill Plates Affects The Health of Ghanaians
Comments
Post a Comment