The Iron Age is the final stage of the Three Age System, following the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. It is characterized by the widespread use of iron for making tools, weapons, agricultural implements, and domestic objects. Although the beginning of the Iron Age varied across different regions, it generally started around 1200 BCE in the Near East and spread gradually to Europe, Africa, and Asia. In the Indian subcontinent, the Iron Age is generally dated between 1200 BCE and 600 BCE, though regional variations exist. Archaeological anthropology studies the Iron Age through excavations, artifacts, settlement patterns, burial practices, and environmental evidence to reconstruct the social, economic, technological, and cultural life of ancient societies. The discovery of iron metallurgy marked a revolutionary technological advancement. Iron ore was more abundant than copper and tin, the raw materials required for bronze. However, extracting iron required higher temperatures and more advanced smelting techniques. Early iron was produced in bloomery furnaces, where iron ore was heated with charcoal to obtain a spongy mass called a bloom. Blacksmiths then hammered the bloom to remove impurities and shape it into useful objects. Iron tools transformed agriculture by providing stronger ploughshares, sickles, axes, hoes, and digging implements. These tools enabled the clearing of dense forests, expansion of cultivable land, and increased agricultural productivity. Surplus food production supported population growth and the emergence of larger villages and towns. Agriculture became