The Beginning of the Bronze Age in South Bohemia

The paper discusses the development of settlements in the Early Bronze Age and at the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age in South Bohemia. Based on the typo chronological analysis of the finds and radiocar bon dating, we have identified four phases of development within this period.The innovation signalling the transition into the Bronze Age was taken on from the Danubian region, which is shown by the spatial development of the settlement. Nevertheless, the overall cultural nature of the artefacts is mixed, which is related to the strategic location of the region, undoubtedly with an important trade route leading through the region, connecting the metallurgical centres in the eastern Alps with the dynamically developing northern parts of the European continent.