BRONZE. 540 BBONZE. Japanese has been of infinite use. The same les- son niij;ht have been learned of the Chinese; but the sudden throwing upon the market, about I860, of a vast number of the precious collections lii'ld for years by the Japanese nobles has given to the Western world a singularly full firsthand knowledge of .Japanese art. Statuettes of admi- rable trutlifulness and of great spirit and vigor are not liaril to obtain, nor very expensive, h-omc of known anti(iuity may command a price reaching to several hundred dollars: and in like manner some of the greater vases, basins of fountains, and the like are costly for their mere size and the value of the material, added to the dilliculty of transportation; but there is much to be had even by persons of moderate means. The tendency in very recent times, and since .Japan lias become a manufacturer of commercial ob- jects, has been toward much less beauty of form, but toward a singular taste and variety in the colors of the patinas artificially applied. Consult : Fortnum, Desciiptiva Catalogue of the Bronzes of European Origin in the South Ken- sington iU)seum (London, 1876) ; Rein, The In- dustries of Japan (New York, 1889) ; Labarte, Jlistoire des arts industriels, Vol. I, (Paris, 1860) , and Description des ohjets d'art qui eomposent la coUcvtion Dehruge-Dumcnil (Paris, 1867); Mo- linier, Les bronzes de la Renaissance: les pla- quettes (Paris, 1886) ; La Collection Spitzer (6 vols., folio, Paris, 1890-92, Vol. IV.); Teirieh, Bronzen aus der Zcit der italienisehen Renais- sance (Vienna, 1887); Wibel, Beitriige zur Kenntnis antikcr Broneen (Hamburg, 1863): Ostasiatische Broncegcfiisse, etc., etc. (folio, Vi- enna, 1883) ; Kosignol, Les metaux dans I'anti- quit{- (Paris, 1863); Delom, Le ctiivre et le hronze (Paris, 1877) ; Servant, Les bronzes d'art (Paris. 18S0), BRONZE, Age of. A term used by modern writers to denote that period in the history of mankind when iron was unknown, and hronze (an alloy of copper and tin) was in general use for weapons, tools, and ornaments. That such a period existed in a large part of Europe between the later Stone Age and the introdue- tinent, the end of the period occurs in different places at widely different times. In Greece the pre-AIycensean [jeriod is essentially a Stone Age,, though the use of copper and bronze begins in Cyprus during this time. The JMycena?an period is marked by the use of bronze, though iron seems to have been known before this civilization passed away. Een in the Homeric poems iron is not common, and is highly valued, while bronze is in common use. In Italy the Terra- niare of the Po Valley belongs to the earlier Bronze Age, but the 'illanova graves near Bo- logna, of about B.C. 1000, show the presence of iron, and it seems likely that the Bronze Age in Italy was of relatively short duration. In gen- eral it may be said that the duration and de- velopment of this period of civilization depended largely upon the accessit>ility of the regions- where it nourished to traders from the south. Thus in France, Spain, and Central Germany, with which the Greeks early came in contact through Jlassilia and tlie Rhone Valley, iron was early introduced, and soon succeeded bronze for weapons and sharp tools, while in the valleys of Switzerland, among the lake dwellers, in Great Britain and Northern Euiope, the use of iron was nuich later. Indeed some archa>oIogists would allow the Bronze Age of Scandinavia to continue to the Second Century h.c, though JJontelius places the commencement of the first iron period about n.c. 500-400. The chronology of this Swedish archteologist, a recognized au- thority in this field, is shown in the following table, abridged from one given in the Journal of the Anthropoloqicul Institute of Great Britain, Vol. XXIX. (1899), p. 309, though many stu- dents of Italian archsologv* hold that the dates for Italy are too remote. Of course the Bronze and Iron ages arc sub- divided into many periods, which have been omit- ted here. It should also be said that European archaeologists are by no means agreed ujion the existence of a Copper Age, many claiming that wliile pure copper was doibtless used here and there, the discoveries have not been sufficient to warrant the belief in a general use for a con- B.C. Central Italy Central Europe Great Britain and Ireland Scandinavia and North Ger-manj- 2500-1900 ISOO 10110 .sou 600 400 Copper (and Stone) Bronze Age Iron Age Historic Time Copper (and Stone) Bronze .ge Iron Xge (Hallstatt) Copper (and Stone) Bronze Age Iron Age (Late Celtic) Copper (and Stoned Bronze Age Transition to Iron Age Iron Age tion of iron is now admitted by most archa?o!o- gists, though there is much difference of opinion in many points of detail. It should be noted that the term denotes a stage of civilization, not a chronological division, for there is no sharp line between the Stone and the Bronze ages; indeed, stone implements are conunon through much of the later period, and are not imknown after the introduction of iron. Nor, on the other hand, does bronze cease to be used for some time after the superiority of iron has been established. Jloreover, while the beginnings of the Bronze Age in Europe arc nearly synchronous, and seem to fall in the period between n.c. 2000 and 1800, as is rendered probable by the simi- larity of the earlier types throughout the Con- siderable period of time. The existence of a Copper Age in North America is conceded by all, and there is much probability that such an age existed on the island of Cyprus and in Egypt. Outside of Europe the existence of the three ages is not so clearly traced. Recent discoveries in Egypt show that stone and metal were used side by side for a long period, while some Egypt- ologists hold that iron was not in general use until about n.c. 800. Consult: Hiirnes, Urge- srhichte des Menschen (Vienna, 1892); Evans, Ancient Bronze Implements of Great Britain (London, 1881) ; Chantre. Aye du hronze en France (Paris, 1875-70) ; Montelius, Les temps prHiisloriques en Suide (translation from the Swedish by S. Reinach, Paris, 1895) ; Morgan,
