Jared Diamond's central argument for why the Spanish possessed steel swords while the Incas primarily used bronze weapons lies in the profound influence of geography and the resulting patterns of technological diffusion.
The Advantage of Eurasian Geography and the Fertile Crescent
Diamond explains that the Spanish were able to acquire and master steel technology due to their close proximity and historical connection to the Fertile Crescent, a region in Southwest Asia. This area is considered a cradle of civilization, where many fundamental innovations, including agriculture, animal domestication, and crucially, metallurgy, first emerged.
- Early Innovation Hotspot: The Fertile Crescent and surrounding regions were pivotal in the invention and refinement of technologies necessary to extract, wield, and mold metals, including iron and eventually steel. This process involved millennia of experimentation, discovery, and cumulative knowledge building.
- East-West Axis Facilitation: Eurasia, the supercontinent encompassing Europe and Asia, has a predominantly east-west orientation. This geographical alignment allowed for the relatively easy spread of domesticated plants, animals, and technological innovations across vast distances at similar latitudes and climates. Ideas, including advanced metalworking techniques, could thus diffuse much more readily from their points of origin (like the Fertile Crescent) across Eurasia.
- Cumulative Knowledge: Over thousands of years, the inhabitants of Eurasia, including those who would become the Spanish, benefited from this continuous flow of ideas. Technologies like steelmaking were not invented in a vacuum but were the result of countless incremental improvements and shared knowledge passed down and perfected through generations and across different societies. The Spanish inherited this rich legacy, enabling them to produce superior steel weapons like swords.
The Incas and the Americas: Geographical Isolation
In stark contrast, the Americas, where the Incan Empire flourished, are oriented along a north-south axis. This orientation, coupled with significant geographical barriers such as mountain ranges, deserts, and diverse climatic zones, severely hindered the diffusion of inventions between different cultural hearths on the continent.
- Limited Diffusion: While metallurgy did develop independently in the Andes (where the Incas resided), leading to sophisticated work with gold, silver, and bronze, the spread of advanced metalworking techniques like iron or steel production was significantly slower or non-existent between different regions of the Americas. Innovations that arose in one area often remained isolated.
- Independent Trajectory: The Incas, despite their impressive societal and organizational achievements, developed their technology largely in isolation from the Eurasian innovations. Their metalworking expertise reached the bronze stage, a significant achievement, but they did not have access to the millennia of cumulative knowledge and widespread diffusion that propelled Eurasian societies towards iron and steel.
Summary of Technological Disparity
The table below summarizes the key geographical and historical factors that, according to Diamond, led to the Spanish advantage in steel weaponry:
| Feature | Eurasia (e.g., Spain) | Americas (e.g., Incas) |
|---|---|---|
| Geographical Axis | Predominantly East-West, facilitating diffusion | Predominantly North-South, hindering diffusion |
| Proximity to Innovation | Close to the Fertile Crescent, a major innovation hub | Independent development, often isolated |
| Technological Diffusion | Rapid and widespread sharing of inventions | Slower, more localized spread of innovations |
| Metalworking Stage | Advanced to iron and steel | Primarily focused on bronze, gold, and silver |
In essence, the Spanish possessed steel swords not due to inherent superiority, but because their geographical location and historical circumstances placed them within a vast network of innovation and diffusion originating from areas like the Fertile Crescent, enabling them to benefit from millennia of cumulative technological advancement in metallurgy that was unavailable to the Incas.
