Bronze Age landscapes in the Benta Valley: Research on the Hinterland of Bronze Age Centres

Research on the network of Bronze Age settlements and their burial grounds has always been a priority of archaeological fieldwork in Central Europe. Researchers of the past centuries tended to focus on the large central settlements such as tells and hillforts. The past decade has seen a shift in research perspectives: while the study of central settlements has lost none of its importance, interest has grown in micro-regional research and the investigation of settlements with differing function and layout. Only complex research projects can address broad issues of Bronze Age land use. We sought answers to the following questions: 1) Did differences exist between the regional and micro-regional settlement patterns during successive periods of the Bronze Age? 2) Were there genuine centres and specialised settlements during the Bronze Age in Central Europe? 3) How did a communityʼs cultural background influence landscape use in a particular region? 4) How is social and political organisation reflected in cemeteries? The Bronze Age settlement history of the Százhalombatta area was investigated as part of an international research project.