Final answer:
Bronze was favored in ancient civilizations for its military superiority, being harder and therefore deadlier than other materials. It became a symbol of power, with its cost indicating an empire's wealth. Despite iron eventually overtaking it, bronze production was initially easier, maintaining its popularity for a long time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bronze became a favored material for tools and weapons in various ancient civilizations due to several key advantages it had over other materials available at the time. It was a significant advancement in military technology and had agricultural benefits that supported increased crop yields with tools like bronze plows. From a military standpoint, an army equipped with bronze weapons and armor was vastly superior to those with equipment made from less durable materials such as wood or copper.
In the artistic domain, bronze was a cherished material for Greek bronze sculpture. However, due to its value, bronze sculptures were often repurposed into weapons or new artworks. The high-quality Greek bronzes we see today mainly survived through accidents, such as shipwrecks, which prevented them from being melted down.
Bronze was also a status symbol and a representation of power, as seen in the expansion of the New Kingdom of Egypt. It was expensive to produce and distribute, signaling that only affluent empires could afford large-scale production, thereby reinforcing their dominance over other states. Notably, in regions like China, during the Shang dynasty, the extensive use of bronze signified technological mastery and played a role in cultural expansion and military conquest.
Despite the eventual rise of iron, bronze remained the preferred material for a considerable period due to the challenges with ironworking. Iron took a long time to become widespread in tools and weapons because of the difficulties in producing and working with it. Therefore, bronze's durability and easier production continued to make it a valuable resource for advanced civilizations.