El Argar, culture characterized by a flourishing metallurgy of bronze, silver, and gold that appeared at the beginning of the 2nd millennium bc in the AlmerÃa (southeastern) region of the Iberian Peninsula. The culture, which developed a lively trade with centres in the eastern Mediterranean, reached its peak between 1700 and 1000 bc and spread throughout the southern, central, and Levantine regions as well as to the Balearic Islands.