Encrusted Pottery culture

Encrusted Pottery culture
Geographical rangeHungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania
PeriodBronze Age
Datesca. 2000 BC - 14th century BC
Preceded byKisapostag culture, Vucedol culture, Somogyvár-Vinkovci culture, Vatin culture
Followed byTumulus culture, Belegiš culture, Urnfield culture

The Encrusted Pottery culture was an archaeological culture of the Early to Middle Bronze Age (c. 2000-1400 BC) originating in the Transdanubian region of western Hungary. It emerged from the Kisapostag culture, which was preceded by the Somogyvár-Vinkovci culture. The Encrusted Pottery culture expanded eastwards and southwards along the Danube into parts of Croatia, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria in response to migrations from the northwest by the Tumulus culture, resulting in the emergence of groups such as Dubovác–Žuto Brdo in Serbia and Gârla Mare–Cârna in Romania, which are considered to be southern manifestations of the Encrusted Pottery culture. The culture was named after its distinctive pottery decorated with incised designs inlaid with white lime, and southern groups are notable for the production of figurines or idols decorated in the same style. Stylistic similarities have also been noted between Encrusted Pottery artefacts and artefacts from Mycenaean Greece.