The Bronze Age in present-day Latvia, spanning roughly from 1800 to 500 BCE, marked the transition from stone tools to metalwork and the rise of more complex social structures. Though bronze was not locally produced, it was acquired through trade networks, particularly with regions around the Baltic Sea. Tools, ornaments, and weapons made from bronze became increasingly common, indicating growing wealth and status distinctions among communities.
Settlements during this time were often located near rivers, lakes, or fertile areas, with evidence of farming, animal husbandry, and fishing becoming more prominent. Burial practices evolved, with individuals being buried in stone cists or under burial mounds, suggesting the emergence of ritual traditions and hierarchical social structures.
Archaeological findings, such as metal objects and ceramics, suggest strong trade links with Scandinavian and Central European cultures. This period also saw the continued presence of Baltic tribes, consolidating the cultural identity that would evolve into the early ancestors of the Latvians. By the end of the Bronze Age, Latvian territory had established itself as a crossroads between northern and central European cultures, laying the groundwork for later Iron Age developments.