The Early Bronze Age in Anatolia started at the beginning of the 3rd milenium B.C.. In this period, the people of Anatolia had acquired the knowledge to produce bronze by combining copper and tin and from this alloy, they made all of their weapons, ornaments, pots and pans. A fine example of a city at this time is Troy in western Anatolia situated on a hill top from which the Dardanelles could clearly be seen. Another important cultural center during the period was Alaca Höyük. At this site, many important and rich burials were excavated from their royal tombs.

The excavations at Alişar and Gültepe have established that there were developed city civilizations in central Anatolia during the last phase of the Early Bronze Age. During this phase, wheel made pottery is seen for the first time, in addition to the plain hand-made ceramics. By the 2nd milennium B.C., Anatolia was divided into small city states governed by individual rulers. The great richness of Anatolia's natural resources attracted the attention of merchants from Assyria. During the Assyrian trading colony period, there was a distinct improvement in the ceramic repertoire in Anatolia with new types of cups and bowls being introduced.

What was happening elsewhere? The old, middle and new kingdoms of Egypt appeared and disappeared. King Menes made his capital at Memphis. The Gread Pyramid of Giza was finished. Tutankhamen ruled from Thebes, Mesopotamia flourished with Sumerians and Akkads. Hammurabi had his code of laws carved onto stone. Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa built cities in the Indus Valley and India. The Shang Dynasty in China and the Jomon people in Japan were the rulers of the Far East. Phoenicians of the Eastern Mediterranean were already using an alphabet while the Hebrews moved to Patestine, The people of Skara Brae off the coast of Scotland built houses from stone but then bronze in Europen farmlands completely replaced the stone.