Editing The Former Age

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Ages}}
'''The Former Age''' is a period in [[Covenant]] timekeeping, referring to the era of [[Sangheili]] civilisation prior to the formation of the Covenant empire in [[852 BCE]].{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=270-271}} The era contained the rise of the Sangheili civilisation including the era of [[Sangheili colonies|Sangheili interstellar colonialism]] that culminated with them encountering the [[San'Shyuum]] [[Reformists]] in a [[Desecration of Ulgethon|conflict]] on the frontier world of [[Ulgethon]] - kickstarting the [[War of Beginnings]] and ending with the signing of the [[Writ of Union]] in 852 BCE. 

The period seems to have some overlap with the [[Age of Abandonment]], as detailed in the Covenant [[Progression of the Ages]]. However, the only known details of the Age of Abandonment refer exclusively to the [[War of Wills]] fought between the San'Shyuum [[Stoics]] and [[Reformists]] on their [[Janjur Qom|homeworld]], possibly indicating that the Former Age is a term only intended to refer to the pre-Covenant era of Sangheili civilisation. It is similarly unclear how much of the Former Age overlaps with the [[Age of Seven Worlds]] in pre-Covenant Sangheili history.

The retroactively-named Sangheili "[[Vestige]]" class of [[Covenant starship|spacecraft]] were initially created in the Former Age and were used to fight the San'Shyuum in [[space warfare]]. These vessels include the {{Pattern|Hekar Taa|blockade runner}}, {{Pattern|Lursu|brigantine}}, {{Pattern|R'sikosh|man o' war}} and {{Pattern|Rwaru|carrack}}.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}
[[Category:Sangheili culture]]