History of Croatia before the Croats

The area known as [[Croatia]] today has been inhabited throughout the [[prehistoric]] period, ever since the [[Stone Age]], up to the [[Migrations Period]] and the arrival of the [[White Croats]].

==Prehistory== {{Main|Prehistoric Southeastern Europe|Prehistoric Europe}} [[File:Vindija_cave.jpg|thumb|left|[[Vindija Cave]], near [[Varaždin]], is a major [[Neanderthal]] site.]]

===Paleolithic=== The earliest traces of human presence on Croatian soil date back to the [[Paleolithic Age]]. In Šandalja Cave near [[Pula]], and in Punikve near Ivanec, flints made by pre-Neanderthal people have been found, while the remains of Neanderthal prehistoric humans have been discovered on [[Hušnjakovo]] near Krapina. In the [[Middle Paleolithic]] period, [[Neandertals]] lived in modern [[Zagorje]], northern Croatia. [[Dragutin Gorjanovic-Kramberger|Dragutin Gorjanović-Kramberger]] discovered bones and other remnants of a Neandertal, subsequently named ''Homo krapiniensis'', on a hill near the town of [[Krapina]], and a [[Palaeolithic]] site on Hušnjakovo near Krapina counted among the largest and richest sites in the world where [[Neanderthal]] remains have been found. During excavations from 1899 to 1905, led by the palaeontologist and geologist Dragutin Gorjanović-Kramberger, abundant remains of Palaeolithic items and the bones of extinct prehistoric animals were discovered. The Krapina finds are estimated to be 130,000 years old. Archaeological finds from the Palaeolithic Age have been discovered in other places throughout Croatia ([[Vindija Cave]], [[Veternica (cave)|Veternica]], etc.). Vindija sediments are 12 m thick, divided in 13 layers designated from unit A (youngest) to unit M.<ref>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1016/j.quaint.2007.03.023 | title = Dated Paleontological cave sites of Central Europe from Late Middle Pleistocene to early Upper Pleistocene (OIS 5 to OIS 8) | year = 2008 | author = Doppes, D | journal = Quaternary International | volume = 187 | issue = 1 | pages = 97 | last2 = Kempe | first2 = S | last3 = Rosendahl | first3 = W }}</ref>

===Neolithic=== [[File:ZGvucdove.jpg|thumb|upright|The Vučedol Dove, a ritual vessel made between 2800 and 2500 BC, is an emblem of the [[Vučedol culture]].]]

The [[Neolithic Europe|Neolithic period]] (c. 6000 BC – c. 3000 BC) was characterised by the emergence of permanent, organised settlements, and by the production of earthenware and other items. In the Adriatic area, the most significant Neolithic cultures are the [[Impresso]], [[Danilo culture|Danilo]] and [[Hvar culture]]s, and, in the interior, the [[Sopot culture|Sopot]] and [[Korenovo culture]]s, while the major sites where finds have been recovered are [[Smilčić]] near [[Zadar]], [[Danilo, Croatia|Danilo]] near [[Šibenik]], [[Markova Cave|Markova]] and [[Grapčeva Cave]]s on Hvar, and others. In the early [[Neolithic]] period, the [[Starčevo culture|Starčevo]], [[Vinča culture|Vinča]] and [[Sopot culture|Sopot]] cultures were scattered between and around the [[Sava]], the [[Drava]] and the [[Danube]]. Notable are the excavation sites of [[Ščitarjevo]] near [[Zagreb]], [[Sopot, Vinkovci|Sopot]] near [[Vinkovci]], [[Vučedol]] near [[Vukovar]], [[Nakovanj]] on [[Pelješac]].

[[Smilčić]], near [[Zadar]], one of the richest [[Neolithic]] sites on open ground. The settlement was surrounded by a defence moat and the dwellings were huts built above ground from interwoven branches. It has been established that the settlement developed in two stages: the earlier stage, with finds from the Impresso culture, and the later stage, characterised by the [[Danilo culture]]. Among the finds, some ceramic, richly decorated cultic vessels with four feet (rhytons) stand out, as well as various vessels decorated with paintings and engravings.

===Bronze Age=== As the Stone Age moved into the [[Bronze Age Europe|Bronze Age]], known as the Eneolithic or [[Chalcolithic Europe|Chalcolithic]] period, in which the first metal – copper – began to be used, the [[Vučedol culture]] arose (c. 3000 BC – c. 2200 BC), named after the locality of [[Vučedol]], on the bank of the [[Danube]] near [[Vukovar]]. Vučedol, near [[Vukovar]], an important prehistoric site (‘The Troy of the Danube’), after which the Vučedol culture was named, and which embraced a wider cultural complex from the [[Carpathians]] to the eastern Alps and the [[Dinaric Alps]]. It is presumed to have emerged after the arrival of Indo-European settlers around 3,000 BC and lasted until about 2,000 BC. Its characteristics include new metalwork procedures, extremely skilled ceramics, and, according to some researchers, the people used a calendar marked on ceramic vessels.

In the Bronze Age (c. 2500 BC – c. 800 BC), a period of great ethnic strife and migration, metalwork and techniques for producing bronze items continued to develop. Several cultural groups can be singled out (the Gradina (hillfort)/[[Castellieri culture]] in [[Istria]], the [[Urnfield culture]] in [[northern Croatia]], the [[Cetina culture]] in Dalmatia, etc.), which arose through the symbiosis of earlier cultural traditions and the various influences of strong neighbouring cultures.

===Iron Age=== The [[Iron Age Europe|Iron Age]] left traces of the [[Hallstatt culture]] (proto-[[Illyrians]]) and the [[La Tène culture]] (proto-[[Celts]]). The arrival of the systematic production and use of iron tools marked the beginning of the Iron Age (c. 800 BC – early 1st century), during which the first ethnic communities appeared in the area which is present-day [[Croatia]]. Their names were recorded by Greek and Roman writers. They belonged to the Illyrian [[Histri]], [[Iapodes]], [[Liburnians]], [[Delmatae]], [[Ardiaei]], etc., and came under the strong influence of Greek and Italic culture, and from the 4th century BC, under the influence of [[Celts|Celtic]] spiritual and material culture.

Nesactium (Vizače), northeast of [[Pula]], was a prominent centre for the Illyrian [[Histri]] in the first millennium BC. They continued to live there right up to late classical times, i.e. the early Christian era. In Nesactium, bronze pails decorated with figures, fragments of jewellery, weapons and ceramics have been found, along with examples of monumental stonework, representing the greatest achievements of prehistoric artistic creativity on Croatian soil. In the village of Prozor near [[Otočac]], the remains of a settlement and necropolis belonging to the [[Illyrians]] [[Iapodes]] (first millennium BC) have been discovered. The people lived there during the [[Roman age]]. They had a high level of artistic craftwork, represented by bronze ornaments with specific shapes, such as ornaments for the head (circlets), pendants, links for belts, buckles, clasps, and so on, and their jewellery was distinct for its use of amber and glass paste.

==Illyria== {{Main|Illyria}} In [[recorded history]], the area was inhabited by [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] tribes such as the [[Delmetae]], who spoke an [[Illyrian language]], an ancient branch of [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European]]. Other tribes such as the [[Liburni]] and [[Iapodes]], whose ethnicity is less clear, inhabited various parts of the Adriatic coastline and interior between modern Istria and Herzegovina.

In the 4th century BC the northern parts of modern-day Croatia were also colonized by the [[Celts]], the [[Scordisci]] tribe. Other Celtic peoples may also have been found elsewhere integrated among the Illyrians. The islands of [[Vis (island)|Issa]] and [[Hvar|Pharos]] as well as the locality of [[Trogir|Tragurion]] became [[Greek colonies]] since the same period.

Illyria was independent of foreign rule until the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] conquered it two centuries later, in 168 BC. The Romans organized the land into the [[Illyricum (Roman province)|Roman province of Illyricum]] which encompassed most of modern [[Croatia]]). Illyricum was subsequently split into the provinces of [[Pannonia (Roman province)|Pannonia]] and [[Dalmatia (Roman province)|Dalmatia]] in year 10. Pannonia was further split in two by [[Trajan]] between 102 and 107.

A fourfold split of the same province followed at the turn of the 4th century under [[Diocletian]] — an emperor of Illyrian descent, from Dalmatia. Other notable people from these areas in this period included the Christian [[Jerome]], [[Saint Marinus]] (builder of [[San Marino]]), emperors [[Valentinian I]] and [[Valens]], and [[Pope John IV]].

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, the [[Roman road]]s and the Illyrian population speaking [[Romance languages]] (such as [[Istro-Romanian language|Istro-Romanian]] or [[Dalmatian language|Dalmatian]]) remained. With the increasing amount of [[human migration]], this population entrenched in the cities along the whole Dalmatian coast.

The [[Lombards]] and the [[Huns]] made an incursion from the north. After 476 the area was subject to [[Odoacer]] and then to [[Ostrogoth]] rulers beginning with [[Theodoric the Great]]. [[Justinian I|Justinian]] claimed the old province of Dalmatia to the [[Eastern Roman Empire]] in 535. Forebears of Croatia's current [[Slavic peoples|Slav]] population settled there in the 7th century following the [[Avars (Carpathians)|Avars]], reportedly under instructions from Byzantine emperor [[Heraclius]].

==See also== * [[Origin hypotheses of the Croats]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Ancient Croatia]] [[Category:Bronze Age Croatia]] [[Category:Prehistoric Europe|Croatia]]