Bronze age

The Bronze Age was the period when bronze tools and weapons became common, made by mixing copper with tin. This age saw the rise of cities, kingdoms, writing systems, international trade, and major powers such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Canaanite city-states.

For the history of Israel, the Bronze Age is important because it forms the world of ancient Canaan before the rise of Israel as a nation. This is the setting connected to the patriarchal traditions, Egyptian influence in Canaan, Canaanite cities, and the wider ancient Near Eastern background of the biblical story.