Where did ancient civilizations get their supply of iron?

[Hornbein]

Back in the 19th century British explorers came across Eskimos who were so isolated that they'd forgotten that any other humans existed. Nevertheless they had a little bit of iron that they used to put an edge on their knives. They had no trade so where did they get it?

Fortunately their language was still understandable. They explained that several days' journey away was a big meteorite. They'd go there and chip off some of the iron with a rock.

Explorers in the South Seas found that iron was the most desirable thing there. You could buy a lot with a nail.

In ancient times the military revolved around iron. If you had more iron you could make more weapons and rule. As late as World War One iron mines were important. There were big iron mines near the border of France. Germany wanted the mines so they'd fight for them. To this day German heavy industry is in their far west near the iron mines.

Industry absolutely depends upon steel, the modern version of iron. In eastern Europe steel is "stahl". Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili adopted the much snazzier name of Josef Stalin to cast an image of progress and modernity. It seems to have worked for him.

Iron is still vital but nowadays oil is just as important and harder to get, so oil dominates strategy.

 

[Astronuc]

In ancient times the military revolved around iron.

Yes - that would be Iron Age, which followed the Bronze Age, and certainly iron and steels were used to make tools and weapons.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Age

 

[Swamp Thing]

One of the pre-iron-age Egyptian pharaohs had, among the paraphernalia that he was buried with, an iron dagger made from meteoric iron.

Edit: In fact it was Tutankhamen : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutankhamun's_meteoric_iron_dagger

 

[hutchphd]

Progress having changed its pace there are no real "ages" any more but can we define an Aluminum age (or moment) ? I am amused that the Washington monument was capped with a nose faring of then-precious aluminum. The Hall process is from the 1880's.
Long ago I smoked (several things). I would sometimes contemplate the marvel that is the Marlboro flip-top box and, in particular, the minutely embossed paper-backed aluminum foil detritis: this devaluation only 75 years post-Hall.
I fervently hope that we scientists have not run out of similar miracles.

 

[Klystron]

In ancient times the military revolved around iron. If you had more iron you could make more weapons and rule. As late as World War One iron mines were important. There were big iron mines near the border of France. Germany wanted the mines so they'd fight for them. To this day German heavy industry is in their far west near the iron mines.

The OP may be interested in history book "The Arms of Krupp" by William Manchester. This highly readable book describes progress in large steel weapons smelted primarily from minerals mined in the Ruhr Valley in what is now modern Germany. I read this history as a child from my mother's collection. The Amazon entry appears to be a later edition.

Manchester leavens the rather grim story of the Krupp dynasty with amusing anecdotes such as the ultra-wealthy Krupp-by-marriage who maintained quarters above the family horse stables in order to enjoy the supposedly salubrious smells of fresh animal dung.

 

[Frabjous]

Vaclav Smil wrote a book “Still the Iron Age” (2016)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0128042338/?tag=pfamazon01-20
Tylecote wrote a nice history of metallurgy now out of print.

 

[Astronuc]

Folks might be interested in the development of 'stainless steel', which is a fairly recent development.
https://www.asminternational.org/search/-/journal_content/56/10192/05276G/PUBLICATION/

I was looking for an article on Damascus steel, and found
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus_steel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wootz_steel

The history of iron and steel is interesting - when and where it happened.

 

[gmax137]

"The Arms of Krupp" by William Manchester.

I second this recommendation. I read this book 2 or 3 times, first in 7th grade. As mentioned, very readable and interesting. It does spend a good bit on the WWII part of the story, understandable for someone of Manchester's age and background.