Iron is a very useful element and is well used today. A lot of our modern day conveniences come because of its uses. It has become a backbone for many structures that we construct. It is also a basic material for many of the innovations we now enjoy. We use iron to make steel and other alloys to answer various needs of our every day lives. Because of the many uses of this interesting element, some have wondered just who discovered iron.
Metals of Antiquity
It is not possible for anyone to say who it was or which people exactly where the first to use this element. We just can’t tell who discovered iron since it has been used by many people even from ancient times. Iron is classified along with other seven metals that are dubbed as The Metals of Antiquity. These include gold, copper, silver, lead, tin, iron, and mercury. All these metals were already known to the ancient peoples of Greece, Egypt, Rome, and Mesopotamia.
Early History
It is known that nobody was able to make use of iron before 1500 BC due to the fact that it was really hard to make. It is further known that iron was put to use in Asia. Thus we know that those who discovered iron were from that part of the world. Hittites from West Asia were a particular people who learned how to use this element. Since they found out that iron weapons were far better to use than the bronze ones they used they made iron smelting and forging a secret.
They were able to keep it all a secret until 1100 BC when the Hittite Empire fell apart. When it did the secret of making iron got out to other people. Though the Hittites were the first to make weapons out of it, we may not surely say that they were the ones who discovered iron.
Other Nations
Other than the Hittites, there were other nations that learned how to use iron. The Jews, Philistines, Kushites, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Assyrians, and Carthaginians all learned how to make and use iron. From 1000 BC unto our present day iron has become the most used metal in the world.
In 800 BC the Aryans invaded the land of India and brought their knowledge of making iron with them. The Chinese only learned how to use it from 700 to 600 BC. Each culture that has learned how to use iron had their own ideas for its different uses. However, we can’t really tell who discovered iron.
Leave a comment