The Bronze Age (± 3000 to 800 BC) is the period that followed the Neolithic. The knowledge for working metals, including bronze, originated in the Middle East. Bronze was used there since about 3000 BC. This knowledge has gradually spread throughout Europe. The period is defined by either producing bronze by smelting its own copper and alloying it with tin, arsenic or other metals. It can also mean by trading for bronze from production areas elsewhere. Bronze is harder than other metals avaible at that time. It was more durable and allowed civilizations to gain a technology advantage.

Bronze gradually replaced flint as a material for tools and weapons during the Bronze Age. It was also used for jewelery and some exceptional statues. The oldest surviving bronze objects were mainly axes, as well as some daggers, staff daggers and jewelery, e.g. bracelets. Bronze slowly became more common, and more and more types of metal objects came into use.

Some of the oldest known stories, such as the Iliad, the Odyssey, parts of the Bible, and the Epic of Gilgamesh are set in the Bronze Age.

Here are some examples of bronze jewelery: bracelets, torques (= neck decoration), spirals, beads and cloak pins. There were bronze statues found, such as snakes and goddesses. As bronze utensils, humans made axes, sickles, knives, working tools and chisels. Bronze weapons consisted like daggers, swords, spearheads and arrowheads.

In Central Europe is another copper age between the New Stone Age and the Bronze Age. The Bronze Age is followed by the Iron Age.