60 replies to this topic

[Boot]

It seems to me that the general level of high technology during the Hyborian Age is a bit inferior than what we see in the typical Tolkien inspired fantasy world. I may be vastly wrong on this (which is why I'm discussing it), but it seems that the technology level of the Hyborian kingdoms is roughly equivalent to 500 AD.

I would guess that most Tolkien inspired fantasy worlds feature technology centered somewhere between 1000-1500 AD.

Thoughts?

[Amra]

The below is not an all encompassing breakdown of Hyborian technology mostly from LSdC, but it does give some insight to the advancements of the Hyborians as compared to later medieval societies and perhaps shows just how well Robert E. Howard's world was put together. Here is a small breakdowm of Hyborian Age technology and advancements.

Mining and Metallurgy:
The Hyborians knew six of the seven metals of classical antiquity: gold, silver, copper, tin, lead and iron. There is a frequent mention of brass which also suggests the knowledge of zinc, but there is not a mention of mercury unless it is used to back mirrors. The Hyborians are familiar with iron and often refer to it as being of "extraordinary hardness". Ores are extracted by the use of mine slaves as evidenced in "The God in The Bowl".

Leather:
The Hyborians wore a great amount of leathern garments and clothing. In the story "The Tower of the Elephant", Howard writes of a "blackjack", a molded and tarred drinking vessel. References to leather can be found throughout Howard's Conan stories.

"Ale splashed over the jack's lip, and the Kothian roared in fury, dragging at his sword."
REH-The Tower of the Elephant

Glass and Vitreous Materials:

The Hyborians not only had glass as found in the story of "The Devil in Iron", but clear window glass as referenced in "The Hour of the Dragon" as well as shatter resistant glass as described in "Rogues in the House" and "Red Nails". The vitreous materials, both artificial and natural are highly developed, as glass mirrors are spoken of frequently. In the tale "The Devil in Iron" glass is used as the steps of a dais, "The Hour of the Dragon" references crystal drinking vessels and "The God in the Bowl" speaks of a diamond Zamorian goblet. In the Howard tale of "Red Nails", it is written that there are "translucent sheets of some crystalline substance". The Hyborians possessed an uncanny ability to work hard substances and also practiced the art of faceting gems as found in "The Tower of the Elephant".

"Murilo saw that it was a panel of heavy glass that had fallen across the doorway. Through it he saw the pallid faces of the conspirators. Petreus, throwing out his hands as if to ward off a charge from Thak, encountered the transparent barrier, and from his gestures, said something to his companions. Now that the curtains were drawn back, the men in the pits could see all that took place in the chamber that contained the nationalists. Completely unnerved, these ran across the chamber toward the door by which they had apparently entered, only to halt suddenly, as if stopped by an invisible wall.

"The jerk of the rope sealed that chamber," laughed Nabonidus. "It is simple; the glass panels work in grooves in the doorways. Jerking the rope trips the spring that holds them. They slide down and lock in place, and can only be worked from outside. The glass is unbreakable; a man with a mallet could not shatter it. Ah!"
REH-Rogues in the House

Textiles:
Wool and linen are presumably used, though never specifically mentioned. Silk is used in the form of velvet as found in "The God in the Bowl" and "The Hour of the Dragon", there is also a mention of satin in "The Slithering Shadow" and unspecified materials in "The Tower of the Elephant", "Queen of the Black Coast", "Red Nails" and numerous other Conan tales.

"I am bound for Kush, to trade beads and silks and sugar and brass-hilted swords to the black kings for ivory, copra, copper ore, slaves and pearls."

It was guided by the long sweep from the poop, and propulsion was furnished mainly by the broad striped silk sail, aided by a jibsail.
REH-Queen of the Black Coast


Floor, walls and ceiling were of the green glassy stone, the walls decorated with gold frieze-work. Furs and satin cushions littered the floor.
REH-The Slithering Shadow


Chemistry and Chemicals:

Beer, ale and wine were guzzled with great gusto. Sugar was mentioned in "Queen of the Black Coast", mummification was mentioned in "The Hour of the Dragon" and the knowledge of strong acids were written in the tale of "Rogues in the House".

Cities:
Hyborian cities were more advanced in ways than actual cities of antiquity. In "The Tower of the Elephant", "The Scarlet Citadel" and "The Hour of the Dragon" the cities were lighted at night. Temple districts suggested a type of zoning. Some cities are those left over from ancient times built in the form of interconnected halls, making the city in essence one large house. Xapur is green, Xuchotl features interconnected houses built of stones of various colors and Xuthal was interconnected and green.

Monuments and Architecture:
The Hyborians knew the arch as written in "The Tower of the Elephant", "The Devil in Iron" and "Jewels of Gwalhur" and also the dome as found in "The Tower of the Elephant", "The Devil in Iron", "Black Colossus" and "Jewels of Gwalhur". Taking into account the size and spaciousness of some of the domed areas it can be assumed that the Hyborians knew of the "true" arch and dome. In Howard's "The Scarlet Citadel" we read that rare materials such as jet and jade are used for building construction, some featuring ceilings of marble. It is also notable that the tower in "The Tower of the Elephant" is cylindrical. In various Conan tales there were also numerous mentions of secret passages, sliding panels, trapdoors, deadfalls and many other miscellaneous accessories.

Houses and Furniture:

Most Hyborian houses are furnished with chairs, tables, and in some cases desks as mentioned in stories such as "The Phoenix on the Sword", "The Hour of the Dragon" and "The Slithering Shadow". There is a mention of a sliding door in "Black Colossus". Keys and locks are of an advanced type, as found in "The God in the Bowl", "Rogues in the House", "The Scarlet Citadel" and "The Hour of the Dragon". These locks feature tumblers as well as complex combinations. The normal lighting is by candle or oil lamps of bronze or gold. Places such as Xuthal and Xuchotl are lighted by "radium infused gems" and "green fire-stones" as written in "The Slithering Shadow" and "Red Nails".

"The light came from one of the radium gems which adorned the walls of Xuthal."

REH-The Slithering Shadow


"There was a rasp of metal against metal, and he heard the clink of tumblers, as if a key had been turned in the lock."

REH-The Hour of the Dragon

Waterworks and Sewage:

The most evident of sewage system use can be found in "Rogues in the House", as Nabonidus's house features a private sewer. In "The Phoenix on the Sword" and "The Hour of the Dragon", Howard mentions water fountains.

Roads and Bridges:
Roads for the most part seem to be well made. Some of the roads are mentioned to be "white", suggesting that they are graded and well kept as mentioned in "The Hour of the Dragon". Bridges seem to be nonexistent in Howard's Hyboria, as there were none included in his stories save the mention of floating bridges in "The Scarlet Citadel".

Fortification and Siegecraft:

In the tale of "The Devil in Iron" castellated or battlemented walls are mentioned, as well as the use of molten materials such as lead in "The People of the Black Circle". A portcullis is mentioned in "Rogues in the House" and "The Scarlet Citadel".

Arms and Armor:

Hyborian swords are of mixed lengths, straight or curved and from two-handed down to swords such as the Zhaibar knife and the Gahanta knife found in "The People of the Black Circle" and "The Hour of the Dragon". The latter mentioned weapons are actually broadswords of machete dimensions.

Armor includes scale mail, ring mail, chain mail, brigandine armor and steel plate armor. References can be found in the tales of "Queen of the Black Coast", "Black Colossus", "The Scarlet Citadel" and "The Hour of the Dragon". Headgear is mentioned as the mail coif, horned helmet, bronze crested helmet, visored helmet, visored salade, basinet, burgonet, and morion. References to the above can be found in "The Frost Giant's Daughter", "Queen of the Black Coast", "The Hour of the Dragon" and the "Pool of the Black One" as well as other tales of Howard's Conan.

Machines and Siege Engines:

Howard writes crossbows into the stories of "The God in Bowl" and "The Hour of the Dragon". In the tale of "A Witch Shall be Born" Howard mentions unspecified types of siege engines. In "The Scarlet Citadel" Howard includes the mantlet. Missile types included catapults, mangonels and ballistas, written in the tales of "The Scarlet Citadel" and "Shadows in the Moonlight". Again, mechanisms were in place to operate trap doors, deadfalls and other booby traps in stories such as "Rogues in the House", "Jewels of Gwalhur" and "The Slithering Shadow".

Vehicles and Harness:


Camels were written in "The Hour of the Dragon" and "Black Colossus". Chariots were common as evidenced in "The God in the Bowl", "Black Colossus", "The Scarlet Citadel", and "The Hour of the Dragon". Ox wains and wagons are included in the stories of "Black Colossus" and "The Hour of the Dragon". The use of the stirrup was mentioned and found in the tales of "The People of the Black Circle", "A Witch Shall Be Born", "Shadows in Zamboula", "The Hour of the Dragon" and "Red Nails".

"The steed snorted and quivered, but stood still while the man bridled him and clapped on the gold-worked saddle, with the wide silver stirrups."

"Conan rose in his stirrups, striving to make himself heard above the tumult, and then, with a roar of mingled rage, defiance and disgust, he wheeled and galloped back up the trail. "

"She saw walled cities burst into flame, and fled screaming before the slayers. She reeled naked and bleeding over burning sands, dragged at the slaver's stirrup, and she knew the grip of hot, fierce hands on her writhing flesh, the shame and agony of brutal lust."
REH-The People of the Black Circle

"Conan stumbled toward it, and every step was a stabbing, throbbing hell that flecked his lips with bloody foam. One misshapen, groping hand fell clumsily on the saddle-bow, a bloody foot somehow found the stirrup."
REH-A Witch Shall Be Born

"Drawing his foot from the stirrup he stole to the angle and peered around it. Three men were moving down the road toward the palm groves, and from their slouching gait he knew they were Negroes."
REH-Shadows in Zamboula

"The fog was fading away. First the crests of cliffs came in sight above the gray clouds, tall and spectral. Lower and lower crawled the mists, shrinking, fading. Valerius started up in his stirrups with a cry that the horsemen echoed behind him."
REH-The Hour of the Dragon

"The woman drew a booted foot out of the silver stirrups and swung down from the gilt-worked saddle."
REH-Red Nails


Ships and Rigging:

The merchant ships of the Hyborian Age more often than not had more oars and less sails than a proper merchant roundship, but fewer oars and more sail than a regular war galley. References to these can be found in "Queen of the Black Coast" and "The Hour of the Dragon". These ships also feature anchors with chain, topsails in the story "The Pool of the Black One" and a jib or forestay sail in "Queen of the Black Coast".

"The galley wallowed out into clear water, the oars began to clack rhythmically; then a puff of wind filled the shimmering sail, the light ship heeled to the gust, then took her course like a swan, gathering headway as she skimmed along."


"The Argus was a small sturdy ship, typical of those trading-craft which ply between the ports of Zingara and Argos and the southern coasts, hugging the shoreline and seldom venturing far into the open ocean. It was high of stern, with a tall curving prow; broad in the waist, sloping beautifully to stem and stern. It was guided by the long sweep from the poop, and propulsion was furnished mainly by the broad striped silk sail, aided by a jibsail. The oars were for use in tacking out of creeks and bays, and during calms. There were ten to the side, five fore and five aft of the small mid-deck. The most precious part of the cargo was lashed under this deck, and under the fore-deck. The men slept on deck or between the rowers' benches, protected in bad weather by canopies. With twenty men at the oars, three at the sweep, and the shipmaster, the crew was complete."
REH-Queen of the Black Coast


Miscellaneous:

Again we find mirrors as referenced in "Rogues in the House", and there is an inclusion of barrels as found in "The Tower of the Elephant". Candles can be found in numerous tales such as "The Tower of the Elephant", "A Witch Shall be Born" and "The Hour of the Dragon". A fork is mentioned in "The Slithering Shadow". In "Rogues in the House" Conan answers a question about the time of night, which suggests some type of known time keeping device although none is mentioned. Writing material most often consisted of parchment, stylus and waxed papyrus.

Science:

Tolkemec has a type of electronic disintegrator in "Red Nails", and there appears to be variations of synthetic food in "The Slithering Shadow". Optics are advanced to the point of having spy tubes in "Red Nails" and "Rogues in the House". In "The Hour of the Dragon" Earth is mentioned as a planet, denoting advanced cosmology.

There is much more to add, but this is a start.

[Boot]

After I posted, I remembered that article, so I pulled out my Blade of Conan book and read it.

It looks like anything in the pre-gun powder era goes.

Still, Aquilonia doesn't seem as advanced as say, Lord of the Rings' Gondor, or even the Rankan Empire from Thieves World. And Stygia seems to be in the bronze age or early iron age--without steel.

I'm just going my impressions I get from reading Howard's stories and the pastiches.

[deuce]

After I posted, I remembered that article, so I pulled out my Blade of Conan book and read it.

It looks like anything in the pre-gun powder era goes.
.

Actually, gunpowder (or something very like it) is used in The Black Stranger. There are lots and lots of little things that point to a general late medieval/Renaissance level of technology (which period REH was much more interested in than the Classical/sub-Roman era), especially in the ethnically Hyborian kingdoms. Buttons are one example:


http://www.collect.c...ttonsHistory/L0

Good to see you on the forum.

[Ironhand]

Actually, gunpowder (or something very like it) is used in The Black Stranger. There are lots and lots of little things that point to a general late medieval/Renaissance level of technology (which period REH was much more interested in than the Classical/sub-Roman era), especially in the ethnically Hyborian kingdoms. Buttons are one example:

Agreed. I was going to say that (non-magical) Hyborian technology at its highest would have been equivalent to European 14th or 15th century. Valeria in Red Nails used a rapier, which requires a finer, tougher, more flexible steel than a broadsword.

As for Stygia, it is difficult to assay technology in a society as steeped in magic as Stygia. Stygian priests and wizards were able to extend the human lifespan, kill with a touch, and summon demons, arts which 21st century scientists have still not mastered.

Edited by Ironhand, 01 May 2011 - 08:39 AM.

[deuce]

Stygia seems to be in the bronze age or early iron age--without steel.

I'm just going my impressions I get from reading Howard's stories and the pastiches.

You'll need to cite specific examples (the Stygians of QotBC were from THOUSANDS of years before) to back that up. Stygia was easily the most successful/durable state of the Hyborian Age.

[deuce]

The below is not an all encompassing breakdown of Hyborian technology mostly from LSdC, but it does give some insight to the advancements of the Hyborians as compared to later medieval societies and perhaps shows just how well Robert E. Howard's world was put together. Here is a small breakdowm of Hyborian Age technology and advancements.

Mining and Metallurgy:
The Hyborians knew six of the seven metals of classical antiquity: gold, silver, copper, tin, lead and iron. There is a frequent mention of brass which also suggests the knowledge of zinc, but there is not a mention of mercury unless it is used to back mirrors. The Hyborians are familiar with iron and often refer to it as being of "extraordinary hardness". Ores are extracted by the use of mine slaves as evidenced in "The God in The Bowl".

Amra, I thank you for this smorgasbord. As usual, LSdC was cursory/sloppy.

Is there some reason we should assume that all the mirrors mentioned in the Conan yarns were NOT backed by mercury? Other than De Camp's magisterial opinion? Such use, in and of itself ("mirroring", that is) suggests a "post-Classical" milieu.

Hyborian Age steel appears to have been extraordinary. In TGitB, Conan hacks through an iron bolt with a sword. He uses the same sword to cleanly decapitate a Child of Set later. The strong implication seems to be that Aquilonian steel is well-nigh unbreakable. Once again, there is no evidence of such from the Classical era. On the other hand, the production of steel in Europe took great strides in the medieval period.

There is nothing from the REH Conan stories which indicates the sub-Roman period (ca. 500AD) as being the "default mode" for Howard's Hyborian Age yarns.

[Boot]

There is nothing from the REH Conan stories which indicates the sub-Roman period (ca. 500AD) as being the "default mode" for Howard's Hyborian Age yarns.

Glad to see this much activity on this board. From the outside looking in, this placed looked kinda dead.

I wouldn't called 500 A.D. the "sub-Roman" period. Maybe the beginning of the end. Maybe "post-Roman" or near "post-Roman". But not prior-to or "beneath" or "sub" the Roman period.

[Taranaich]

Still, Aquilonia doesn't seem as advanced as say, Lord of the Rings' Gondor, or even the Rankan Empire from Thieves World.

Could you give specific examples which led you to this conclusion? Frankly, I think it's less simple than that: both are more or less advanced than the other in different ways. Gondor obviously has the Numenorean architecture, whereas Aquilonia seems to have far superior metalworks, for instance.

The below is not an all encompassing breakdown of Hyborian technology mostly from LSdC, but it does give some insight to the advancements of the Hyborians as compared to later medieval societies and perhaps shows just how well Robert E. Howard's world was put together. Here is a small breakdowm of Hyborian Age technology and advancements.

Amra, how much of this is you, and how much De Camp? I ask because I sure can't remember any references to the Hyborians - or anyone - referring to iron as having "extraordinary hardness." Surely the mention of brass does more than "suggest" the knowledge of zinc? Nor do I think there's any reason to suspect the Hyborians wouldn't have known of Mercury, considering you can just find the stuff lying around. Even the Egyptians knew of Mercury. He also seems to forget the explicit references to wool in "Wolves Beyond the Border," and the drawbridge in "The Scarlet Citadel" (suggesting a knowledge of bridges and an implicit reference to moats).

The Stygians of Conan's time did use iron and steel:

There he made his boat fast to an iron ring set in the stone, as numerous similar craft were tied.
- "The Hour of the Dragon, The Bloody Crown of Conan, p197

... the Stygian?s right hand came from under his cloak with a gleam of steel and his murderous stab would have pierced the heart of an ordinary man.
- "The Hour of the Dragon, The Bloody Crown of Conan, p203

A fierce cry rang out as a priest leaped with a flicker of steel... He caught only glimpses of that brief, fiendish fight ? saw men swaying, locked in battle and streaming blood; saw one Khitan, fairly hacked to pieces, yet still on his feet and dealing death, when Thutothmes smote him on the breast with his open empty hand, and he dropped dead, though naked steel had not been enough to destroy his uncanny vitality.
- "The Hour of the Dragon, The Bloody Crown of Conan, p211

I really need to get The Blade of Conan and The Spell of Conan to properly appraise (and correct) De Camp's ideas on Hyborian matters.

[docpod]

Something I have noticed is how plentiful swords are in the Hyborian Age or at least in Conan's time. I am under the impression that even the Cimmerians and Nordheimer are well equipped with swords. That means, there is a lot of iron available plus there is some mass production of swords going on. In our Dark Ages, the spear was the most common weapon. The Franks used the throwing ax, the Saxons used the seax, which is kind of like a machete. Swords were expensive to make so chieftains generally had them.

Morgan

[deuce]

Glad to see this much activity on this board. From the outside looking in, this placed looked kinda dead.

Hey Boot! Well, bring up an interesting topic and interested people may post (cool on you for that ). Amazingly, there ARE other things to discuss on this forum other than movies.

I wouldn't called 500 A.D. the "sub-Roman" period. Maybe the beginning of the end. Maybe "post-Roman" or near "post-Roman". But not prior-to or "beneath" or "sub" the Roman period.

I was using the term in THIS sense:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub-Roman_Britain

However, that's a little too Britanno-centric. So, yeah, post-Roman/"Late Antiquity.

[deuce]

Something I have noticed is how plentiful swords are in the Hyborian Age or at least in Conan's time. I am under the impression that even the Cimmerians and Nordheimer are well equipped with swords. That means, there is a lot of iron available plus there is some mass production of swords going on. In our Dark Ages, the spear was the most common weapon. The Franks used the throwing ax, the Saxons used the seax, which is kind of like a machete. Swords were expensive to make so chieftains generally had them.

Morgan

Very true. The same applies to silk. EVERYWHERE in major quantities, including Ophir, which (once again) puts a medieval/early Renaissance spin on things. Almost makes you wonder if (Hyborian Age) "S&S" shouldn't stand for "Swords and Silk".

[deuce]

Still, Aquilonia doesn't seem as advanced as say, Lord of the Rings' Gondor, or even the Rankan Empire from Thieves World.

Could you give specific examples which led you to this conclusion? Frankly, I think it's less simple than that: both are more or less advanced than the other in different ways. Gondor obviously has the Numenorean architecture, whereas Aquilonia seems to have far superior metalworks, for instance.

I'd say that's about right. All of the awesome stuff in Gondor was built 100s, if not 1000s, of years before. Past periods of glory, with a determination/hope to (maybe) achieve such again. THAT's why JRRT used the battles/sieges of Byzantium, Vienna (just like REH!) and the Catalaunian Fields as models. OTOH, the Aquilonians were on a good upward trajectory. Setbacks in Cimmeria and the Wilderness? The Conanid dynasty got things back on track, leading to the almost Napoleonic Era apogee/downfall.

Imrahil and his hard chargers from Dol Amroth would match up (military tech-wise) with Trocero and the Poitainians (as would the Black Prince's knights). The Eorlingas/Rohirrim are the ones who would be post-Roman/"500 AD". Tolkien based the Riddermarkers (tech-wise) on the Visigoths of Provence (with a Mercian overlay). Theod(oric) saved the day against Attila. Theod(en) did so against the Witch-King.

I really need to get The Blade of Conan and The Spell of Conan to properly appraise (and correct) De Camp's ideas on Hyborian matters.

I reread them about 6mo ago. Both worth owning.

[docpod]

Silk worms were smuggled to the Byzantine Empire from China, I believe in Justinian's reign. The Normans captured the technology in an attack on Greece in the 12th Century where they set up the manufacturing in Sicily. So the Hyborians are probably making it within one of their kingdoms. Maybe the Hyrkanians introduced it or the refugees from the far east civilization that the Lemurians overthrew.

Morgan

Something I have noticed is how plentiful swords are in the Hyborian Age or at least in Conan's time. I am under the impression that even the Cimmerians and Nordheimer are well equipped with swords. That means, there is a lot of iron available plus there is some mass production of swords going on. In our Dark Ages, the spear was the most common weapon. The Franks used the throwing ax, the Saxons used the seax, which is kind of like a machete. Swords were expensive to make so chieftains generally had them.

Morgan

Very true. The same applies to silk. EVERYWHERE in major quantities, including Ophir, which (once again) puts a medieval/early Renaissance spin on things. Almost makes you wonder if (Hyborian Age) "S&S" shouldn't stand for "Swords and Silk".

[Kortoso]

Also, silk can be made with the help of other insects besides silkworms (Bombyx mori).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_silk

[deuce]

In The Phoenix on the Sword, Conan the Cartographer states that "Here be dragons". Hard to find a more "medieval" quote than that.

[deuce]

After I posted, I remembered that article, so I pulled out my Blade of Conan book and read it.

It looks like anything in the pre-gun powder era goes.

Another clear example of the "pseudo-medieval" setting is the existence and use of large bells (HotD):


http://www.handbells.org.au/history/genhist.htm

In fact, a connection to the Mitran church might be posited.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_bell

Just another (possible) Celtic influence upon Aquilonia, along with the names of Tamar/Tarantia and Golamira.

OTOH, bells were basically unknown/unused in the Classical era. During medieval times, bells were outlawed in Dar-al-Islam:

http://books.google.com/books?id=n4kTdYgwQPkC&pg=PA86&lpg=PA86&dq=bells+forbidden+islam&source=bl&ots=Q-TGYGvWT0&sig=HrrOly5zgIoEtiD0pg4FJh80Bhg&hl=en&ei=2pXPTdiKAqrn0QHx5L2TDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=bells%20forbidden%20islam&f=false

The "Classical/AquiRomian" faction in Howard/Hyborian Age studies really has very little ground to stand on. Even the lands of Shem and Stygia (the only obviously non-medieval regions) seem to be "on steroids" versions of their original models.

[Boot]

OK, you guys have convinced me. So, let's expand the scope of the discussion beyond the Hyborian Age. When were the people back then in a bronze age?

For example, Kull lived thousands of years before Conan. I've never read any of the Kull stories. Did the Atlanteans know steel? I think they did because the Arnold movie, at least, spoke of ancient Atlantean weapons (the famous sword Conan found). They may be just a de Camp invention--I think it is.

And, we know that the world lost some technology after the Great Cataclysm.

OK, so during the years when Archeron ruled a vast swath of what will become the Hyborian lands, did the Archeronians have steel?

Thoughts?

[Ironhand]

OK, you guys have convinced me. So, let's expand the scope of the discussion beyond the Hyborian Age. When were the people back then in a bronze age?

For example, Kull lived thousands of years before Conan. I've never read any of the Kull stories. Did the Atlanteans know steel? I think they did because the Arnold movie, at least, spoke of ancient Atlantean weapons (the famous sword Conan found). They may be just a de Camp invention--I think it is.

And, we know that the world lost some technology after the Great Cataclysm.

OK, so during the years when Archeron ruled a vast swath of what will become the Hyborian lands, did the Archeronians have steel?

Thoughts?

Howard believed that civilizations rise and fall and rise again, to fall again, etc. So in his mythos, there could be recurring cycles of stone ages, bronze ages, iron ages, etc, etc, and so on.

[Boot]

Howard believed that civilizations rise and fall and rise again, to fall again, etc. So in his mythos, there could be recurring cycles of stone ages, bronze ages, iron ages, etc, etc, and so on.

Very good point.

But, do you think Archeron had a stone age, then a bronze age, then a steel age. And, after the fall of Archeron, the Hyborian Age had it's own parts of stone, bronze, and iron?

That doesn't seem to "fit", does it?