Chalcolithic and Bronze Age
Resource type
Interactive resource
Date published
2023
Abstract
The British Chalcolithic period is now widely recognised as beginning during the 25th century BC. It is marked by the appearance of the first metal artefacts, produced from copper and gold and the introduction of new material culture and other practices from the European Continent (Allen et al 2012; Parker Pearson et al 2019). True bronze metallurgy – bronze objects produced from alloying copper and tin and later, lead – emerged around 2200/2150 BC, and its appearance denotes the start of the Bronze Age. It is more problematic to define the subsequent transition to the Iron Age across Scotland but it is generally understood to occur around 800 BC (cf. Needham 2012). For the purposes of this Framework, the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age are defined as 2450–800 BC.
Project(s)
Perth and Kinross Archaeology Research Framework
Funder
| Funder name | Awards |
Historic Environment Scotland | |
Publisher
Scottish Archaeological Research Framework
Place of publication
Edinburgh
Rights statement
In Copyright
Additional information
Full text available via the official URL