Climatic change, flooding and occupational hiatus in the lake-dwelling central European Bronze Age

Although lacustrine settlements began to appear in the Alpine region towards the end of the fifth millennium Bc, and lasted until the beginning of the Iron Age (seventh century Bc), the lake-dwelling phenomenon is not regarded as continuous. One of the most intriguing gaps in the occupation of lake settlements occurred in the northern Alpine region during the Middle Bronze Age (MBA), which lasted from the fifteenth to the twelfth century Bc, and has prompted research to determine whether this was caused by cultural or natural phenomena.