Metal Age (Southeast Asia) Explained

In the archaeology of Maritime Southeast Asia, the Metal Age is the period between roughly 2000 and 500 years ago.^[1] The internal chronology of the period is still debated, but it is often divided into 'early', 'developed' and 'proto-historic' phases. Unlike in the conventional three-age system used in other parts of Eurasia, archaeologists do not divide the Metal Age into a Bronze Age and Iron Age, because bronze and iron metallurgy arrived in Maritime Southeast Asia at roughly the same time.

See also

• Dong Son culture
• History of Brunei
• Prehistoric Indonesia
• Prehistoric Malaysia
• Prehistory of the Philippines
• Early history of Singapore
• Pre-colonial Timor
• Prehistory of Taiwan

Further reading

• Chinh . Hoang Xuan . Van Tien . Bui . The Dongson Culture and Cultural Centers in the Metal Age in Vietnam . Asian Perspectives . 1980 . 23 . 1 . 55–65 . 42929154 . 0066-8435.
• Book: Ciarla, Roberto . The Origins of the Bronze Age in Mainland Southeast Asia . Charles F. W. Higham . Nam C. Kim . The Oxford Handbook of Early Southeast Asia. 2022 . 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199355358.013.22 . 396–415. 978-0-19-935535-8 .
• Book: Higham, Charles F. W. . Social Change with the Initial Bronze Age . Charles F. W. Higham . Nam C. Kim . The Oxford Handbook of Early Southeast Asia. 2022 . 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199355358.013.23 . 416–430. 978-0-19-935535-8 .
• Hung . Hsiao-chun . Chao . Chin-yung . Taiwan's Early Metal Age and Southeast Asian trading systems . Antiquity . December 2016 . 90 . 354 . 1537–1551 . 10.15184/aqy.2016.184 . en . 0003-598X.
• Book: Sofian . Harry Octavianus . Quaternary Palaeontology and Archaeology of Sumatra . Truman Simanjuntak . Truman Simanjuntak . 2024-04-04 . ANU Press . 978-1-76046-631-2 . Louys . Julien . 1 . The rise of the Metal Age in Sumatra: Evidence from Harimau Cave in South Sumatra . 10.22459/TA56.2024.11 . free . Albers . Paul C. H. . van der Geer . Alexandra A. E..

Notes and References

1. Book: Szabó . Katherine . Cole . Franca . Lloyd-Smith . Lindsay . Barker . Graeme . Hunt . Chris . Piper . Philip . Doherty . Chris . Barker . Graeme . Graeme Barker . Rainforest foraging and farming in island Southeast Asia . 2013 . MacDonald Institute for Archaeological Research . Cambridge . 978-1902937540 . 299–340 . The 'Metal Age' at the Niah Caves, c. 2000-500 years ago . https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291300636.