PRODUCTION, CONTACTS AND EXCHANGES IN BRONZE AGE TRANSYLVANIA
Channel: European Association of Archaeologists
Date: 2021-03-30

This work tries to explain the economical system from Transylvania during Bronze Age, in the context of the European society of that time. Considering the Carpathian Space as a living organism, I think that we can draw a viable model of a non-monetary economy.For this purpose, I took into account: the geographical position, the human and natural resources, the production of goods, the internal  and  external  contacts,  the  commerce.  Transylvania’s  resources  -  huge  then,  relatively  to  the  number  of  inhabitants  -,  were, above all: gold, copper, tin and salt. The metals production and the salt were, probably, strictly controlled by the chiefs of tribes or unions of tribes. Control was exercised in three ways: administrative, military and religious.Inter-tribal connections were determined by economical factors, too. Some tribes were based on agriculture and cattle raising, while others on mining, metallurgy and salt exploitation. Between them must have existed a permanent exchange system (prox-imity exchange). Besides that, Transcarpathian commercial exchange (commerce at average distance) and commerce at very long distance took place. This especially because Transylvania was traversed by one of the commercial routes binding Aegean Sea to North Europe.Average and long-distance exchanges corresponded to large quantities of goods, therefore of a very high value. It is the reason why  the  merchants  were  accompanied  by  armed  men.  The  presence  of  weapons  along  the  connecting  paths  is  a  proof  in  this  sense. Except military and merchants, caravans were joined by craftsmen (artisans) who were creating, probably, custom-made artifacts,  in  bronze  or  gold.  This  is  one  of  the  models  of  spreading  of  some  types  of  artifacts,  and  of  reinforcing  the  European  bonds.


Author(s): Wittenberger, Mihai (Natiaonal History Museum of Transylvania)