logoalt Hacker News

dwheeleryesterday at 11:51 PM1 replyview on HN

Perhaps, but I think volcanic eruption followed by system collapse is very compelling. Here is the story I find most convincing from the experts whose works I have read.

It likely started with a volcanic eruption, leading to widespread famine. Those in western Europe who didn't want to starve migrated en masse, as whole families, becoming the sea peoples. The powerful empires struggled to feed their people, and many were destroyed by the forced migration from the sea peoples. Egypt barely survived, but only as a shadow of itself. Many of the others were destroyed by those who had survived on marginal lands and didn't need complex societies to keep themselves fed.

Iron can't be the cause, as iron weapons pre-existed the Bronze Age collapse. I think the evidence is stronger that the collapse forced widespread adoption. The collapse devastated long-distance trade networks, which cut off the supplies of tin needed to make bronze. The scarcity pushed people to rapidly improve iron smelting.

I'm not a professional historian, but I do find the topic interesting. We should try to learn from past disasters to prevent repetition.

See Eric H. Cline's "1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed";

Epimethius video "What was life like after the bronze age collapse (extended version)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM6JSS3l-IQ


Replies

gaiagraphiatoday at 12:08 AM

What's the time period between iron being widespread and the so-called collapse?