Histria antiqua, Vol. 21 No. 21, 2012.
Original scientific paper
Roads and Communications Through North-Western Croatia in the Bronze Age
Ivančica PAVIŠIĆ
; Institut za arheologiju Gajeva 32 10000 Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
The network of roads in use in north-western Croatia during the Late Bronze Age enabled quick connections
between certain local settlements and major centres with a large part of the south-east Alpine region and southwestern
Pannonian basin. Of particular importance were the main roads running along the following rivers: the
Sutla in the west, the Mura in the north, the Drava in the east, the Krapnica and Sava in the centre. All these
connected Zagorje, Podravina and Posavina as a micro-regional unit, or in other words, a western inter-river area.
River valleys and their streams were dangerous and represented insurmountable obstacles for settling over longer
periods of time. Thus, Late Bronze Age settlements were mostly located in foothills or on prominent hilltops
which offered strategic control over the valleys. Sometimes, rivers and their backwaters provided a less difficult
crossing from one side to the other, and thus opened up communications with neighbouring areas and populations.
Finds at settlements and necropolises located by major fluvial streams speak of the density of the population of
Hrvatsko Zagorje, Podravina and Turopolje from the Late Bronze Age across the Developed and Late Iron Age.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
102013
URI
Publication date:
1.8.2012.
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