The research group »Urnfield Culture Networks« is committed to long-term research of the Bronze Age in Central and Southeastern Europe with a special focus on the emergence and spread of the Urnfield Culture (13th–8th centuries BC) and the interactions with neighbouring, simultaneous cultural phenomena. The economic and religious aspects of the Bronze Age are the central part of various regional studies in Austria and the Balkans.

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Tracking the routes

Tracking the routes

The research project uses various interdisciplinary methods to investigate the metal circulation in the Bronze Age societies in the western and central Balkans. The focus is on the exploitation of the local copper deposits, especially in Eastern Serbia, and the…

Geological and Speleological Investigations in the Lika Region

Geological and Speleological Investigations in the Lika Region

This project seeks to explore and analyze the karst caves containing evidence of human activity during the Bronze Age (2nd millennium BC). The collaboration between geologists, speleologists, and archaeologists will provide fresh insights into the morphology and…

Late Urnfield Culture cemetery of Franzhausen-Kokoron

Late Urnfield Culture cemetery of Franzhausen-Kokoron

The evaluation of the burial ground Franzhausen-Kokoron with 403 cremation graves with around 1600 individual objects deals with all essential questions about burial usage, material analysis and the population in the Late Urnfield Culture.

Cemetery of the Early Urnfield Culture from Inzersdorf

Cemetery of the Early Urnfield Culture from Inzersdorf

The site Inzersdorf ob der Traisen represents an extensive cremation grave field with a focus in Ha A (1300–1200 BC), yet the occupation continued until Ha B (approx. 1200–900 BC). The study of numerous vessels and bronzes from the urn graves provides an important…

Thunau am Kamp – A fortified hilltop settlement of the Urnfield Culture
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Thunau am Kamp – A fortified hilltop settlement of the Urnfield Culture

Visualizing the unknown Balkans

Visualizing the unknown Balkans

The aim of this project is to take an innovative and explorative approach to understanding of the past in the Balkans by assembling the results of cross-border and diachronic archaeological research with the use of responsive, wide-ranging visualization tools.

New insights in Bronze Age metal producing societies
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New insights in Bronze Age metal producing societies

The research project uses various interdisciplinary methods to investigate the metal circulation in the Bronze Age societies in the western and central Balkans. The focus is on the exploitation of the local copper deposits, especially in Eastern Serbia, and the…

Macedonian Metals: Origin, distribution and technologies

Macedonian Metals: Origin, distribution and technologies

In this project, the technological background of the Bronze and Iron Age metal finds from the Republic of North Macedonia is examined using archaeological and archaeometallurgical methods. The analytical results provide the first evidence of the raw materials used…

Cremation Bronze Age Burials (CBAB)
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Cremation Bronze Age Burials (CBAB)

The aim of Cremation Bronze Age Burials (CBAB) is the coordinated assessment of Late Bronze Age cremation burials in the (14th–9th century BC) in Europe based on a common, accessible database.

South Connection

South Connection

The expansion of the early Urnfield culture and in particular the so-called Baierdorf-Velatice complex between eastern Austria and northern Croatia is the focus of this project. In cooperation with the Institute of Archeology in Zagreb, the finds from this period…

Resource curation, power and cult at Stillfried?
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Resource curation, power and cult at Stillfried?

The Stillfried hillfort represents one of the most important archaeological sites in Eastern Austria. A main phase of use dates back to the late Urnfield period (900–750 BC), when the plateau (23 hectares) was fortified by a mighty rampart with a ditch in front.…

Human and animal depositions – Sacrificial cult in Stillfried?
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Human and animal depositions – Sacrificial cult in Stillfried?

The main focus of this project lies on the pits with animal and human remains, which were discovered in the long-term excavations of the Stillfried site dating from the late Urnfield period. With the help of numerous scientific methods, these special findings with…

The Urnfield Culture in Lower Austria

The Urnfield Culture in Lower Austria

Das Projekt hat das Ziel, die Urnenfelderkultur in Niederösterreich umfassend und aktuell in der Form eines Handbuches darzustellen. Das Handbuch wird für alle Kulturinteressierten eine ebenso fundierte wie spannend zu lesende Abhandlung über die…

Project Record

Project Record