![[Tutankhamun's_meteoric_iron_dagger.png]] *Tutankhamun's meteoric iron dagger.* But in the region around Europe, the disruption was real. Whether from interference by the Sea People, internal unrest, or other reasons, trade networks failed. Destroyed cities like Ugarit on the Mediterranean coast (Syria), Troy (Anatolia), and Ebla (Syria) had all been trading hubs; including for tin. Without access to tin, the alloy bronze could not be made and armies could not be outfitted. Iron, which would later become the basis of an entirely new economy, was already in use in the Near East and Anatolia; though its use was limited to small, decorative items. There are some small daggers of meteoric iron in Hittite graves in in the tomb of Tutankhamun (3,325 years ago), but the more complex smelting process made iron difficult to work with. However, as tin became scarce, there was additional incentive to find a way to work with the abundant iron ore. We typically think of iron as a much higher-quality element for making weapons, but the earliest iron swords and spear points were probably a bit less hard and sharp than the best bronze weapons. Later, with the introduction of carbon to make steel, weapons made from iron ore became better than bronze. But even so, iron (and then steel) needed to be forged by skilled blacksmiths. An entirely new craft had to be developed and taught, before the iron age could get underway. ----- Next: [[5.1]] Back: [[4.23 - Sea Peoples]]