The Hatvan culture was a
Hungarian Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
archaeological culture
An archaeological culture is a recurring assemblage of types of artifacts, buildings and monuments from a specific period and region that may constitute the material culture remains of a particular past human society. The connection between thes ...
that succeeded the
Nagyrév culture
The Nagyrév culture was a Bronze-Age culture that existed in what is now Nagyrév, Hungary. It existed alongside the Vatya culture and Hatvan cultures and was eventually superseded by the latter. The main style of pottery was a one or two han ...
. The earliest identified settlements are located in the
Cserehát Hills, later expanding into northern Hungary and the
Tisza
The Tisza, Tysa or Tisa, is one of the major rivers of Central and Eastern Europe. Once, it was called "the most Hungarian river" because it flowed entirely within the Kingdom of Hungary. Today, it crosses several national borders.
The Tisza be ...
valley, and the
Tiszazug area in Eastern Hungary. The end of Hatvan culture was associated with the expansion of the
Ottomány culture
The Ottomány culture, also known as Otomani culture in Romania or Otomani-Füzesabony culture in Hungary, was an early Bronze Age culture (ca. 2100–1600 BC) in Central Europe named after the eponymous site near the village of Ottomány ( ro, O ...
.
Burials
Burials were carried out via
cremation
Cremation is a method of Disposal of human corpses, final disposition of a Cadaver, dead body through Combustion, burning.
Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India ...
. Ashes were either scattered into the grave pit, or buried in a funeral urn. Vessels with food and beverages were buried along with the deceased. Burial sites were placed closer to settlements during the Hatvan period than in the previous
Nagyrév
Nagyrév is a village in Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, central Hungary. It was the location of the Nagyrév culture.
Between 1914 and 1929, a large group of female villagers calling themselves " the Angel Makers of Nagyrév" systematically poisoned t ...
period.
Settlements
Over 100 Hatvan Settlements have been identified; often built between 5-10 Kilometers apart. These settlements were often fortified; containing long rectangular houses made of
timber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
and
daub
Daub or Daube is a surname. It may refer to:
Daub
Daub may refer to:
* Adrian Daub (born 1980), Professor of German
* Gerti Daub (born 1937), Miss Germany 1957
* Hal Daub (born 1941), American politician and lawyer
* Karl Daub (1765–1836), ...
. In the last century of the early Bronze Age, Hatvan settlements were carefully planned, with houses being placed around an open, centralized location. Houses were often around 12 meters in length during this early settlement stage. Fortifications consisted of ditches and ramparts. It was named after
Hatvan
Hatvan is a town in Heves county, Hungary. Hatvan is the Hungarian word for "sixty".
Etymology
Hatvan is the Hungarian word for "sixty". It is a common urban legend that the town got this name because it is 60 km from Budapest, but in fact the na ...
, Hungary.
It is believed that the Hatvan culture came into conflict with the Füzesabony culture, based upon the site at Jászdózsa–Kápolnahalom. The settlement was purposefully burned, indicated by the presence of thick layers of burnt debris in every house uncovered at this site. Hidden under the floor of one house were over 140 grams of ornaments including; bronze axes, amber beads, and gold hair ornaments. The center of this site has a 4 meter deep sacrifice pit, which contains the remains of brown bears, aurochs, boar, deer, and pigs. Hatvan Pottery was largely textile and Barbotine ware. Their fortified inhabited settlements were mainly located in the
Bükk
The Bükk Mountains () are a section of the North Hungarian Mountains of the Inner Western Carpathians. Much of the area is included in the Bükk National Park.
Geography
Although Kékes, the highest point in Hungary, is not here but in the n ...
region and the
Mátra
The Mátra ( sk, Matra) is a mountain range in northern Hungary, between the towns Gyöngyös and Eger. The country's highest peak, Kékestető (1014 m), belongs to this mountain range.
The Mátra is part of the North Hungarian Mountains ...
region.
See also
*
Unetice culture
The Únětice culture or Aunjetitz culture ( cs, Únětická kultura, german: Aunjetitzer Kultur, pl, Kultura unietycka) is an archaeological culture at the start of the Central European Bronze Age, dated roughly to about 2300–1600BC. The epon ...
*
Bronze Age Britain
Bronze Age Britain is an era of British history that spanned from until . Lasting for approximately 1,700 years, it was preceded by the era of Neolithic Britain and was in turn followed by the period of Iron Age Britain. Being categorised as t ...
*
Argaric culture
The Argaric culture, named from the type site El Argar near the town of Antas, in what is now the province of Almería in southeastern Spain, is an Early Bronze Age culture which flourished between c. 2200 BC and 1550 BC.
The Argaric culture ...
References
Archaeological cultures of Central Europe
Bronze Age cultures of Europe
Archaeological cultures in Hungary
Archaeological cultures in Slovakia
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