Wrought iron is one of the most classic materials one can use for building. It is sturdy and reliable. The material has been in use for over three thousand years. In fact, it is so influential to the development of human civilization that an entire period of time is named the Iron Age. The age of iron revolutionized human life in practically every way. The most significant might have been the weaponry for military life, but iron as a building material also changed what humans were capable of.
Weaponry
The weapons of the Bronze Age were, as the name implies, made from bronze. Bronze is a soft, malleable metal. That means that the metal could be sharpened very easily, but it did not hold an edge very well. Also, the material is ductile. That means it could be drawn out into a sword very easily by a swordsmith. However, since it is soft, it did not hold its shape very well either. There are stories of ancient Greek soldiers who would have to bend their swords back into shape at the end of every engagement. With the Fall of Troy around 1200 BCE, the Bronze Age gave way to the Iron Age.
In many ways, the Iron Age was dominated by ancient Rome. The Roman legionnaires carried gladiuses made from iron. They were sharper than bronze, held an edge longer, and were harder. They were superior to bronze in practically every way. Romans used this advantage to conquer most of the known world.
The iron swords did have a drawback. Iron is extremely hard and unyielding. This means that it does not bend. However, since it doesn’t bend, it does break. Because of the brittle nature of thin iron, the Roman swords had to be short. This is obviously not much of a consideration with wrought iron door hardware or some other type of home furnishing.
Home
While iron might have made its biggest impact on the world in the area of weaponry, it continues today as a reliable building material. Iron can be very brittle if it is too long or too thin. Using it for home furnishings usually avoids any of these shortcomings. Wrought iron door hardware is mostly just knobs, handles, hinges, and adornments. These are small, so they are not susceptible to breaking the way ancient Roman swords were.
Door knockers are also very popularly made from wrought iron. The building material was very popular with the baroque school of architecture. Iron depictions of nature were very indicative of the style. So, lending that sort of classic look to your home is easy with the right fixtures. A few small touches can be more than enough to evoke the well-known style.
