Coțofeni culture
The Coțofeni culture, also known as the Baden-Coțofeni culture, and generally associated with the Usatove culture, was an Early Bronze Age archaeological culture that existed between 3500 and 2500 BC in the mid-Danube area of south-eastern Central Europe.
The first report of a Coțofeni find was made by Fr. Schuster in 1865 from the Râpa Roșie site in Sebeș. Since then, this culture has been studied by a number of people to varying degrees. Some of the more prominent contributors to the study of this culture include C. Gooss, K. Benkő, B. Orbán, G. Téglas, K. Herepey, S. Fenichel, Julius Teutsch, Cezar Bolliac, V. Christescu, Teohari Antonescu, and Cristian Popa.
Geographic area
The Coțofeni culture area can be seen from two perspectives, as a fluctuation zone, or in its maximum area of extent. This covers present day Maramureș, some areas in Sătmar, the mountainous and hilly areas of Crișana, Transylvania, Banat, Oltenia, Muntenia, and across the Danube in present-day eastern Serbia and northwestern Bulgaria.Chronology
Absolute chronology
Bronze Age in RomaniaUnfortunately, most of the Coțofeni culture chronology is based on just three samples collected at three different Coțofeni sites. Based on these radiocarbon dates, this culture can be placed between roughly 3500 and 2500 BC.
Relative chronology
Cultural synchronisms have been established based on mutual trade relations as well as stratigraphic observations. There is an evident synchronicity between:Coțofeni I - Cernavoda III - Baden A - Spherical Amphorae;
Coțofeni II - Baden B-C Kostolac;
Coțofeni III - Kostolac-Vučedol A-B.