The dawn of the Bronze Age was a tumultuous time for many human societies, as the social order of the preceding Copper Age fell apart. Yet little is known about this pivotal period in human history, including why exactly it happened or how people handled it.

In a new study, researchers take a closer look at this transformative era through the lens of Murayghat, an ancient archaeological site located near the city of Madaba in what is now Jordan.

The Copper (or Chalcolithic) Age had seen sedentary farming communities proliferate around the Levant in the Middle East, along with key advances like copper mining and smelting. Around 5,500 years ago, however, many of these communities seem to have experienced some kind of upheaval, either shrinking or abandoning their settlements.

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