ABSTRACT
The Iron Age was one of the three most important stages—along with the formation of hunter-gatherer societies and the Neolithic Age—for the development and transformation of early human societies. Any scientific inquiry or philosophical understanding of our modern world must proceed from an understanding of these historic epochs. Humanity has undergone many changes since these early societies before reaching its current state because no human society is static, and societies are also influenced by the external forces of their environment. The three historic epochs, which are part of humanity's shared history, form the basis for studying and understanding the evolution of different technological, sociopolitical, and economic developments around the world. This chapter looks at Iron Age cultures and societies, drawing from a larger Africa-derived data pool. Where necessary, inferences are made from other epochs to show relevant trajectories in human history that relate to elements of continuity in Iron Age societies and the progress of human civilization.
