Archaeological excavations in India and Pakistan have revealed evidence of technological developments from the Iron Age. Between the period 1,100 and 800 BC, the Painted Grey Ware Culture emerged in this region, including not only the distinctive painted pottery after which the culture has been named by archaeologists, but also a wide range of tools and craftworks in ceramics, iron, copper, glass and bone.

The discovery of iron was of enormous importance for the history of mankind, and although at first used principally for decorative purposes, metallurgic technology gradually developed to produce weapons and tools in iron. It also increased the productivity of farm labour, as new farming implements could be designed.

The ancient region of Bactria – now covering the countries of Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – was home to a wide variety of settled and nomadic tribes in the Bronze Age.  Large-scale migration and resettlement of communities occurred across the region, resulting in the circulation of new cultures and languages. In this way, highly developed settled communities and nomadic tribes both exchanged elements of culture and language.

The civilizations of the Indus Valley were among the earliest in the world to become settled or 'urban'. There are four principal settlements known to archaeologists today; Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, in Pakistan, and Lothal and Kalibangan in western India. It was between these ancient societies that the earliest trade routes were established.

The communities that lived in Baluchistan and in the Indus Valley were generally settled agricultural economies, reliant on land cultivation to support proto-urban settlements.  In these conditions, cultures developed and flourished, especially that of painted pottery and terracotta sculpture. As such, craftsmen came to be very important members of Indus societies, and specialization in individual crafts led to trade between communities in this region.

The tribes of Pakistan were structured into well-established agricultural societies by the first millennium BC, as illustrated by archaeological discoveries of bronze and iron tools. Their development was linked to the changing environmental conditions of the period. This encouraged the emergence of different agricultural traditions amongst the tribes of Central Asia, which in turn were responsible for shaping the development of local, tribal cultures.

The third millennium BC saw important changes to the structure of Central Asian societies. Some communities died out, whilst others flourished and developed new agricultural technologies, and there was a significant movement of tribes in this period. Earthenware and metal objects have been found in burial sites across Asia, whilst changes in agricultural practices can be observed, reflecting the movement of northern steppe tribes into Central Asia.

The establishment of settled agricultural societies in the Bronze Age allowed social and cultural developments to occur. Population growth across this period also led to expansion into new geographical areas, as illustrated by archaeological excavations across Central Asia.  The emergence of metallurgy and the production of tools and craft objects in metal went hand-in-hand with the need to procure raw materials from other areas, thus promoting the earliest lines of trade across Asia and encouraging social and cultural interaction between regions.

The period 5,500 BC to 2,900 BC was a time of innovation and exchange in Iran and Afghanistan. Settled agricultural economies were already well established, and proto-urban societies grew up from the foundations this provided. Pottery and metal-working are two of the most important cultural developments that took place during this period, whilst crafts and technologies were exchanged between communities and so were adapted and improved.

Societies and cultures in Bronze Age China varied significantly from region to region. From archaeological excavations, it is clear that a considerable degree of cultural exchange and interaction took place in the provinces of Gansu, Quinghai and Xinjiang.  Tools and artefacts in bronze have been discovered from all of these regions, although there still remains much to be done to gain a full understanding of these complex Bronze Age cultures.