The Iberian Peninsula has been inhabited for at least 1.2 million years. Find Your Spain’s overview of Spanish history, continues and today’s article takes on the period between 2000 BC and 1000 BC. Many have wanted control of the Iberian Peninsula and the interest in the peninsula is about to explode.
The first urban centers have emerged but population on the peninsula is still small. The Bell-Beaker culture ends but an increase in trade between cultures along the Atlantic coast gives rise to what will be known as the Atlantic Bronze Age Culture.
Documented interested in Iberia from civilizations which both left distinctive clues and had their own written language is about to explode.
The El Argar civilization in the south-east of the peninsula develops successfully but finds its end somewhere between 1550 and 1400 BC. Probably caused by overpopulation and subsequent over-exploitation of natural resources in their areas.
Contemporary civilizations with El Argar exist but we know relatively little about these so far.
El Argar is the next culture to emerge. They may have been the heirs to the Los Millares civilization which disappeared about 2250 BC and was located in the south-eastern part of Iberia. We know the El Argar civilization were able to make the far stronger metal bronze, an alloy of copper (ca. 90%) and tin (ca. 10%) also called “classic copper”.
Other contemporary civilizations with El Argar include: Motillas, Cogotas I, Montelavar, Atalaia and Vila Nova de São Pedro (sometimes just named VNSP) in Portugal.
The Atlantic Bronze Age culture arises around 1300 BC due to increased trade in amongst other things, copper and tin, and continues to about the year 700 BC.
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Want to read our post linking to CNN’s article: Powerful women of the El Argar Bronze Age civilization?
Care to check out the official website dedicated to exploring the various aspects of the El Argar culture?
The Find Your Spain team!
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