AEB_A14c Bronze Age in Central Europe

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Klára Šabatová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Klára Šabatová, Ph.D.
Department of Archaeology and Museology – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Šibíčková
Supplier department: Department of Archaeology and Museology – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites (in Czech)
Předchozí absolvování AEB_A06a Introduction to prehistoric and early historic studies je výhodou, ale nikoliv podmínkou. Doporučujeme současně zapsat AEB_A15c The Bronze Age in Central Europe – tutorial a AEB_A07b Material Culture of Bronze Age and Hallstatt.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 9 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to present the current knowledge of the Bronze Age in Central Europe and understand the historical context of this period of prehistory. Teaching will be focused on characteristics and fundamental archaeological sources, their present-day and historical interpretation. Attention is paid to publications of key importance.
Among the course topics are: general characteristic and chronology of the Bronze Age, raw materials (particularly metals), trade, development of technologies, natural environment, agriculture, examples of crucial studies, overview of individual stages of the Bronze Age, their cultural complexes, important horizons, burial rites, settlement structures.
The course is supported by a detailed e-learning.
Learning outcomes
After completion of the course, student will be able to:
- describe key issues of current research into the Bronze Age in Central Europe
- define and summarize important characteristics of the main periods within the Bronze Age
- describe the fundamental characteristics of cultural complexes and archaeological cultures within the traditional scheme
- compare the differences between historical and present interpretations
- propose an appropriate method of research on source material from the Bronze Age
Syllabus
  • 1. Characteristics of the Bronze Age, chronological classification, history of research
  • 2. Metals, ore mining, other raw materials, trade
  • 3. Natural environment, technologies, agriculture
  • 4. Classification system and burial rites of the Early Bronze Age
  • 5. Early Bronze Age settlements
  • 6. The end of the Early Bronze Age and beginning of the Middle Bronze Age
  • 7. Classification system of Tumulus cultures and early Urnfield cultures, burial rites of the Middle Bronze Age
  • 8. Classification system of the Urnfield cultures
  • 9. Burial rites of the Urnfield cultures
  • 10. Settlements of Tumulus cultures and Urnfield cultures
  • 11. The end of the Urnfield cultures and transition to the Iron Age
  • 12. Bronze Age society and religious beliefs
  • 13. A compulsory part of the course is lectures by visiting specialists, which can be held on a different date than the scheduled lesson.
Literature
    required literature
  • BÖHM, J. 1936-37: Základy hallstattské periody v Čechách, Obzor prehistorický 10, 1-246.
  • NEUGEBAUER, J.-W. 1994: Bronzezeit in Ostösterreich. St. Pölten-Wien.
  • BUJNA, Jozef, Václav FURMÁNEK, Egon WIEDERMANN and Zora BIELICHOVÁ. Staré Slovensko. Nitra: Archeologický ústav Slovenskej akadémie vied, 2013, 244 s. ISBN 9788089315444. info
  • JIRÁŇ, Luboš. Archeologie pravěkých Čech – Svazek 5: Doba bronzová. Praha: Archeologický ústav AV ČR, Praha, v.v.i., 2008, 265 pp. ISBN 978-80-86124-78-0. info
  • PODBORSKÝ, Vladimír et al. Pravěké dějiny Moravy. Brno: Muzejní a vlastivědná společnost, 1993, 543 pp. ISBN 80-85048-45-0. info
    recommended literature
  • ŘÍHOVSKÝ, J. 1963: K poznání starší fáze kultury středodunajských popelnicových polí - velatické kultury, Sborník ČSSA 3, 61-115.
  • VELIAČIK, L. 1983: Die Lausitzer Kultur in der Slowakei. Nitra.
  • PODBORSKÝ, V. 1970: Mähren in der Spätbronzezeit und an der Schwelle der Eisenzeit. Brno.
  • PEŠKA, Jaroslav. Protoúnětické pohřebiště z Pavlova. Olomouc: Archeologické centrum Olomouc, 2009, 440 s. ISBN 9788086989143. info
  • STUCHLÍK, Stanislav. Borotice : mohylové pohřebiště z doby bronzové. Brno: Archeologický ústav Akademie věd České republiky, 2006, 297 s. ISBN 8086023680. info
Teaching methods
lectures
Assessment methods
Oral examination. The prerequisite is a written test which reveals basic orientation of students in chronology and nomenclature.
Requirements for the exam:
1. Reading of literature according to predefined structure (study materials to the subject)
2. Orientation in key issues of current research into the Bronze Age in Central Europe, ability to define the fundamental characteristics of the main periods within the Bronze Age, description of basic characteristics of cultural complexes and archaeological cultures within the traditional scheme including the nomenclature, comparison of differences between historical and present-day interpretations.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Information on completion of the course: Pro získání zkoušky je nutná znalost odpřednášené látky a problematiky v rámci zadané literatury.
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every week.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021, Spring 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/AEB_A14c