2 - The history of the region and the question of origins

Summary

The new polities of central Europe did not develop in a vacuum. Though sources are scarce, we have some knowledge of populations and political units prior to the development of Bohemia-Moravia, Hungary and Poland. A brief description of these is in order, to understand the complex heritage of the early societies. The new dynasties in each case created origin myths, some of which were later elaborated further. In modern times, the question of origins became highly politicized; it is therefore important to discuss the historical basis of these ideas of origins.

EARLY HISTORY OF THE REGION

Carpathian basin

Various populations and power centres existed in the Carpathian basin prior to the development of the kingdom of Hungary. Human remains go back to the lower Palaeolithic period: the oldest settlement (Vértesszőlős) is thought to be about 350,000 years old. Archaeologists have found human remains, tools and settlements of hunters from the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic in a number of sites. The area became more densely inhabited in the Neolithic age, supported by a mixture of agriculture, animal raising and fishing. People had permanent settlements and made ceramics. From this period on, different archaeological cultures followed each other, sometimes linked to immigration and conquest. Modern scholars gave these populations names based on the names of towns or villages near which their remains were found (such as the Nagyrév culture in the Early Bronze Age) or based on archaeological characteristics in burial or other aspects of their culture (e.g. the Tumulus culture of the Late Bronze Age). Their ethnic identification has sometimes been attempted but remains controversial or impossible to substantiate. Metallurgy and fortified centres appeared.