Altaktens

Altaktens is a fictional ancient civilization described in worldbuilding literature. It is depicted as inhabiting the Serel River valley in the southern region of the continent of Eldara. The name Altaktens is a scholarly designation, not necessarily an endonym used by the people themselves.

Key sites include the Temple of Mirrors, the Plaza of Echoes, and the Dusk Fort, located near the river embankments. Settlements ranged from fortified hillocks to planned towns with grid-like layouts.

Chronology: Cultural development from about 1200 to 900 BCE; evidence for centralized administration, irrigation systems, long-distance trade via river networks; collapse around 850 BCE possibly due to drought, political fragmentation, and external incursions.

Society and economy: Settled villages with craft specialization in stone masonry, ceramics, bronze metallurgy, textiles; trade with coastal polities through riverine routes; social stratification indicated by elite residences and communal religious structures.

Culture and technology: Architecture employed cut-stone construction and terracotta roofing; ceramic tradition featuring geometric motifs; probable astronomical alignments in temple complexes; metalworking with copper and tin bronze; little writing deciphered; some inscriptions remain undeciphered.

Archaeology and historiography: Initial discoveries occurred during late 19th and early 20th centuries in speculative surveys; major excavations from the 1950s onward yielded temple complexes and irrigation features; debates exist over linguistic affiliations and external influences; the Altaktens are commonly placed within the Eldaran cultural horizon.