This map illustrates the spread of the Urnfield culture in Europe by around 1300 BCE, a late Bronze Age archaeological horizon named for the practice of cremating the dead and placing their ashes in urns buried in fields. Lasting from roughly c. 1300-750 BCE, the Urnfield culture marked a transformative period in European prehistory and is widely regarded as one of the root cultures of the later Celts.
The Urnfield tradition emerged in central Europe, especially in the upper Danube and Rhine regions, before expanding across much of continental Europe, from Hungary and Austria through southern Germany, France, and northern Italy. Its spread coincided with advances in bronze metallurgy, fortified settlements, and long-distance trade networks, linking Europe with the Mediterranean and the Near East. The characteristic funerary rite of urn cremation replaced earlier tumulus (mound) burials, reflecting broader social and religious shifts. While not a “state” culture, the Urnfield horizon represents a shared set of practices and material culture that laid the groundwork for the Hallstatt culture (c. 800-450 BCE) and, ultimately, the rise of the Celts as a distinct cultural group in the Iron Age.
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APA Style
Netchev, S. (2021, August 23). Map of the Urnfield Culture c. 1300 BCE. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14456/map-of-the-urnfield-culture-c-1300-bce/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Urnfield Culture c. 1300 BCE." World History Encyclopedia, August 23, 2021. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14456/map-of-the-urnfield-culture-c-1300-bce/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Urnfield Culture c. 1300 BCE." World History Encyclopedia, 23 Aug 2021, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14456/map-of-the-urnfield-culture-c-1300-bce/.
