ijät

"Ijät" is a Finnish word that translates to "ages" or "eras" in English. It is a plural form derived from the singular noun "ikä," meaning "age." The term "ijät" can be used in a variety of contexts, encompassing geological epochs, historical periods, or simply vast stretches of time.

In geological contexts, "ijät" refers to distinct periods in Earth's history, such as the ice ages ("jääkausi" or more broadly "jääkaudet" for plural ice ages). These are characterized by significant climatic changes and the presence of glaciers. Similarly, historical periods are often described using "ijät," for example, the Bronze Age ("pronssikausi") or the Iron Age ("rautakausi"). These terms denote periods defined by the primary materials used for tools and weapons.

Beyond formal classifications, "ijät" can also be used colloquially to describe extremely long, indefinite periods. For instance, someone might say something has been around for "ijäisyyden" (an eternity, derived from "ijät") to emphasize its antiquity or duration. The concept of "ijät" therefore carries a sense of immense temporal scale, whether applied to the natural world, human history, or personal experience. It is a fundamental term in Finnish for conceptualizing deep time.