Research on the Late Bronze Age in Northeastern Bulgaria
Research on the Late Bronze Age in Northeastern Bulgaria

Summary/Abstract: During the Late Bronze Age, differences in the type of settlements are noticeable, in contrast to earlier periods. The Black Sea area is characterized by naturally fortified or stone-walled settlements that have apse buildings with stone construction. The buildings are close to each other. This type of construction is characteristic of the Black Sea region. Inland, the settlements are of the open type, covering a larger area; the buildings are of a wattle-and-daub construction, located at a great distance from each other. These settlements are characterized by the presence of not very deep ditches. There is almost no evidence of the burial ritual, in contrast to the previous and subsequent periods. From the information we have, biritualism is present, which probably reflects a direct influence from the Coslogeni, Noua and Sabatinovka culture. There is data for used older burial spaces, burying their dead on the periphery of Early Bronze Age mounds. While cremation in urns, sometimes within the settlement and near settlement structures, is a custom more characteristic of the southern part of the range. The large amount of hoards and stone moulds show that metallurgical activity was developed during the period in the territory of northeastern Bulgaria, and the presence of metallurgical workshops in some settlements speaks of local production. Ceramic vessels and shapes show the closest similarities with the Coslogeni, Noua, and Sabatinovka cultures, and generally fit well into the system of the Late Bronze Age Zimnicea-Plovdiv-Cherkovna group.

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