PROBLEMS OF DATING OF THE LATE BRONZE AGE IN BULGARIA

∕. Panayotov

(Summary)

Thepresentpapcr is an attempt to consider the problems of the chronology of the Late Bronze Age in Bulgaria, according to existing publi­cations, directly or indirectly related to the subject, without a claim to have covered the entire bibliography available.

The literature has been considered separately up to the Second World War and the period following it. Theauthor points out that during the first period (notes 1-12) the material did not allow convincing conclusions and the working out of a chronology, as there was no sufficient evidence among the materials found in Bulgaria (notes 7-9).

The period following the Second World War is characterized by consi­derable progress in archeological research (notes 13-17); however, the attempts to establish a better chronology became possible only as late as the 1960’s with the accumulation of new archeological data. Until then, most authors

accepted the following chronology of the Bronze Age: Early Bronze — 1900 to 1750 B.C.; Middle Bronze — 1750 to 1200 B.C. and Late Bronze — 1200 to 800 B.C. (see note 18). -

A review of the literature makes it possible to point out certain ^Γe- -cificities. The archeological material is distributed unevenly with respect to both territory and chronology. The material also varies in its significance, in providing evidence for the elaboration of a chronology (notes 19-25) and all that impedes the solution of the problem.

According to the author the chronological Iimitsof the Late Bronze pe­riod cannot be Cxplainedsolely using the material from that period. In deter­mining the latest Iimitsof the chrono log}' it is necessary to connect them with the cultures of the transition towards the Iron Age, which corresponds to Troy VII b₂ (notes 26-38). Another basis is the culture of the Danubian teramari (notes 39-41). Unless the dating of these cultures and that of Troy VΠ b₂ is disputed by more convincing evidence, it is possible to accept the following chronology of the Late Bronze: in Northwestern Bulgaria — 16th to 12th century B.C., in Southern Bulgaria (excluding the southwestern part where there are no data available) the beginning of the Late Bronze Age should be sought between the 16th and 15th centuries B.C., bearing in mind the continuity in the development of the Middle and LateBronze cultures of this region, where its lower limit is determined by the Pshenichevo culture. In Northern Bulgaria, east of the Iskar River, the Bronze Age has not yet been studied satisfactorily, but its lower limits should be connected with the chronological horizon, namely the material found along the Kamchia Ri­ver, near the town of Rousse and elsewhere (notes 42-45).

STUDIA THRACICA, 1

ФРАКО-СКИФСКИЕ КУЛЬТУРНЫЕ СВЯЗИ

Sofia . 1975 . София