American president Quote by Eric H. Cline
![“Carol Bell, a British academician, has recently observed that “the strategic importance of tin in the LBA [Late Bronze Age] … was probably not far different from that of crude oil today.”3 At that time, tin was available in quantity only from specific mines in the Badakhshan region of Afghanistan…” quote by Eric H. Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c8c/eric-h-cline-2-72333_american-president_carol-bell-a-british-academician-has-rec_2817793.jpg)
““Carol Bell, a British academician, has recently observed that “the strategic importance of tin in the LBA [Late Bronze Age] … was probably not far different from that of crude oil today.”3 At that time, tin was available in quantity only from specific mines in the Badakhshan region of Afghanistan and had to be brought overland all the way to sites in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and north Syria, from where it was distributed to points farther north, south, or west, including onward across the sea to the Aegean. Bell continues, “The availability of enough tin to produce … weapons grade bronze must have exercised the minds of the Great King in Hattusa and the Pharaoh in Thebes in the same way that supplying gasoline to the American SUV driver at reasonable cost preoccupies an American President today!””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Bronze Age Revolution, 2014
Tin in the Late Bronze Age was as strategically crucial as oil today, shaping economies and power.
In simple terms: Tin was ancient oil.
Key Takeaway
Recognize resource importance.
Themes
history
economics
geopolitics
Mood
analytical
inquisitive
Type
historical
strategic
When to use this quote
- archaeological research
- modern energy policy
- trade negotiations
Key Concepts
resource scarcity
strategic commodities
Questions to Reflect On
- How do modern resources shape power?
- What lessons from tin apply today?
A Different Perspective
Resource dependence can create conflict.
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