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The Middle Bronze Age (MBA) was more or less on the fringes of research interest in Bohemia in last decades. In the first place, this situation was caused by the limited occurrence of some types of attractive sites. Compared to the Early Bronze Age and Urnfield period, there are almost no fortifications or hoards of metal artefacts. Second factor was the decrease in number of tumuli graves excavations, which are still one of the main sources of knowledge of that time. In recent years, however, this situation has improved, as shown by a number of examples from the area of the southern Bohemia. In the presentation we will focus on the main issues currently related to this epoch (e.g. chronological definition, settlement structure, subsistence, analysis of metal artefacts and long-distance contacts).Thanks to many rescue excavations and research projects, a number of settlements have been explored in the last 30 years, many of which have provided essential finds important for finer chronology, long-distance contacts, subsistence strategies and the ideological sphere. A detailed evaluation of the artefacts and newly conducted research proved the existence of several MBA hillforts, hitherto dated only to the Early Bronze Age,. Several burial mounds were modernly excavated and several hoards clearly from the MBA discovered. Isotopic analyzes confirmed the dominant presence of copper from Alpine deposits. From the point of view of agriculture, we observe the onset of new types of cereals at this time (millet). According to the current state of knowledge, we can thus rehabilitate the MBA as an epoch with equally important sites, as in other phases of the Bronze Age. Undoubtedly, this is a period of cultural change, but there is no indication that these are changes for the worse.

EAA2021: Abstract

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