Selection of Late Bronze Age Buttons

As its name suggests, The Bronze Age is a historical period characterised by an extensive use of bronze. It is also known for its use of writing, with cultures such as the Near East and Egypt being the first to develop practical writing systems, and other features of early urban civilisation. The beginning of the Bronze Age differed from region to region and culture to culture, as it was heavily dependent on the discovery of tin mining, smelting, and its combination with hot copper. The result was a hardier and more durable metal, allowing Bronze Age civilisations to transition away from stone tools to metal tools. However, tin was not abundantly available, limiting the use of bronze across geographies and perhaps social classes. Many bronze pieces have been found alongside gold items in the wealthiest burials of warriors and princes from the period. Buttons such as these were associated with equestrian equipment.