The Bronze Age was a period of protohistory and history which was characterized by the abundant use of bronze. Bronze is the generic name for alloys made with copper and tin. Today it is generally accepted that the period succeeded the Copper or Chalcolithic Age and preceded the Iron Age in the regions of the world where such categories apply. As with other prehistoric periods, the chronological boundaries of the Bronze Age vary greatly depending on the cultural and geographical areas under consideration. As a rule of thumb, in the regions of the world where it is particularly significant and researched (Near East, Europe, Asia), the Bronze Age extends across a period of 2,000 years, from 3000 to 1000 BC, albeit with substantial variations among the areas concerned.