Definition of the Iron Age.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I was always of the opinion, and understood the term to apply to the technology of the ages.

But with one important proviso: the Stone Age-Bronze Age-Iron Age terminology is designed to make sense of prehistoric cultures; that's its only purpose. So the system ends whenever (and wherever) the historic period begins. In (most of) Europe, that's the Roman period. In Ireland and Scotland, it's different, because there isn't really a "Roman" period there.

Once you realise that "Iron Age" is just a modern (19th C) invention designed to categorise the prehistoric remains of the later first millennium BC, it all falls into place. Sort of. :wink:

Edit: I just had a look at your Wikipedia link. It makes a pretty good attempt at explaining it, actually.

Oh yes, I'm aware it is modern...I think I was fairly lucky with my teacher, mostly.... :roll:
The wiki does mention the Roman iron age..
But, however the scholar who devised this terminology may have ment it, from the technological viewpoint, which perhaps it has been my good fortune to view things from, the technology has determined the ages. True, the rapid pace of change has blurred it's clarity in recent times. But it is a rather more meaningful system to determin an 'age' as defined by the technology,
As Dave pointed out(and I was actually thinking after Jurjen challenged me in the other thread on the iron age topic, this present time period is truely the Petroleum Age(however many other technologies have sprung up within it), the dominant technology is petroleum derived.
Right at this moment, everything, apart from the apple on my desk, tthe wood in a pencil on it, and perhaps the paper covering most of it, has its origin in Petroleum.

if you bog down in terminology though, it is like being stuck in a ice rut in a cart, you will never see the wonders of the valley over the ridge just off the track!

good night!

Thanks for that Matt, but no I'm not too worried about it.
I'm quite happy with my warped view ofthe wolrd! :wink: