Metallurgy first appeared around 5000 BC in the Middle East, beginning the Metal Age and its successive Copper, Bronze, and Iron periods. This development led to changes in life as new tools, weapons, and objects were created. Neolithic villages evolved into the first cities surrounded by walls, trade improved with the wheel's invention, agriculture advanced with the plow and irrigation, and specialized social classes like warriors likely emerged. Megaliths, which means large stones, were first constructed structures from the Late Neolithic period onward. There were four main types of prehistoric megalithic monuments: dolmens (chamber tombs), menhirs (single standing stones), stone rows, and stone circles like

2. 
Index
• When did metallurgy appear?
• How did life change?
• What were megaliths?
• Prehistoric megalithic monuments

3. 
When did metallurgy
appear?
 The first metals were used in
the Middle East, around 5000
BC
 The Metal Age is sub-divided
into three ages:
 First, Coopper Age: copper
was used because it was soft
to be hammered
 Then, Bronze Age
 And finally, Iron Age,
around 2000 BC
With these metals, people made
new tools, weapons, ornaments
and jewellery

4. How did life change?
 Model of the Millares
village (Almería)
• The Neolithic villages
evolved into de first
cities and were
surrounded by walls.
• Trade improved with the
invention of the wheel
• Agriculture was
improved with the
plough and the irrigation
canal
• Wars were common
• There was probably a
privileged social class
of warriors

5. 
 The term megaliths comes from the ancient Greek:
megas meaning great and lithos meaning stone.
 The construction of first architectural structures took
place at the end of Neolithic Age and continued into
the Metal Age
What were megaliths?

6. 
Prehistoric megalithic
monuments
Prehistoric megalithic monuments are divided into four
categories:
1. Dolmens
2. Menhirs
3. Stone Rows
4. Stone circles

7. 1.Dolmens or chamber tombs
A dolmen, meaning 'big stone table'
They are the remains of collective burial chambers
They were oriented east

8. 
2. Menhir
 Single standing stones
 Its purpose is unknow:
monuments to fertility,
rituals, memorials…

9. 3. Stone rows or alignments
Menhirs placed in parallel rows. Its function is unknown.
In this photo we can see the Stones of Carnac (France). There are
thousands of stones

10. 4. Stone circles
or cromlechs
A cromlech is a megalithic
monument formed by several
dozen menhirs planted in
circle.
The most famous cromlech is
Stonehenge (England) (in the
photo)
Function: they were used as
funerary monuments, temples
or meeting places

11. 
Thanks for your
attention