Gordon Doherty
Well-Known Member
I've written this blog article examining the commonly-held belief that, during the Bronze Age, the Hittites were armed with superior iron weapons:
Bronze Age lightsabers: did the Hittites have iron weapons?
I'm coming from a largely layman point of view - I'm certainly not a metallurgist, though I've learned a lot in that field over the last few years. Overall, it seems to me that while the Hittites did appear to be involved in advanced experimentation with ironworking during the Late Bronze Age, they never fully mastered the art (e.g. to the extent that they could furnish their armies with iron weapons).
Anyway, interested to hear what people's opinions are on the matter.
A Hittite sword housed at the Essen Museum. A rare specimen for it is fashioned with a bronze handle... and an iron blade!
Bronze Age lightsabers: did the Hittites have iron weapons?
I'm coming from a largely layman point of view - I'm certainly not a metallurgist, though I've learned a lot in that field over the last few years. Overall, it seems to me that while the Hittites did appear to be involved in advanced experimentation with ironworking during the Late Bronze Age, they never fully mastered the art (e.g. to the extent that they could furnish their armies with iron weapons).
Anyway, interested to hear what people's opinions are on the matter.
A Hittite sword housed at the Essen Museum. A rare specimen for it is fashioned with a bronze handle... and an iron blade!