Fatyanovo

The Fatyanovo culture was a Bronze Age culture that flourished in the forests of western Russia and Belarus between c. 2900 and 2050 BCE. It is considered a branch of the Corded Ware culture complex.

Characteristics:

• Economy: The Fatyanovo economy was based primarily on animal husbandry, particularly cattle, pigs, and sheep. Evidence suggests early forms of agriculture were also practiced, though to a lesser extent.
• Material Culture: Distinctive features include polished stone axes, pottery with corded decoration, and evidence of metalworking, including copper and bronze artifacts.
• Burial Practices: Burial customs involved inhumation in wooden-lined graves or stone cists, often containing grave goods. The deceased were typically placed in a flexed position. Cemeteries, rather than single isolated graves, are typical.
• Language: While no written records exist, it is generally accepted that the language spoken by the Fatyanovo people was an early Indo-European language, likely related to Balto-Slavic languages.
• Origins and Distribution: The Fatyanovo culture is believed to have originated from the Corded Ware culture of Central Europe and expanded eastward into the areas it occupied. Its distribution extended primarily across the upper Volga and Oka river basins.
• Relationship to Later Cultures: The Fatyanovo culture is considered an important precursor to later Bronze Age cultures in the region, and it is thought to have contributed to the formation of the Balto-Slavic language family.
• Dating: Radiocarbon dating places the Fatyanovo culture within the period of c. 2900-2050 BCE, making it a significant early Bronze Age presence in Eastern Europe.