Secondary Mortuary Practices During the Late Eneolithic in Moravia, Czech Republic: State of Knowledge, History Of Research, Terminology and Interpretations (original) (raw)
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Přehledy výzkumů 64/1, 2023
Although multiple burial contexts are uncommon, they are a typical feature of Corded Ware funerary behaviour. This paper focuses on various aspects of Corded Ware multiple burials in Bohemia and the adjacent regions of Central Europe. Particular attention is given to the occurrence of burials in the antipode position and the age, gender and possible familial relationship of the individuals in such graves. A unique example of multiple burials is the biritual Grave 1/95 in Slaný (Kladno District) in Bohemia, which contained a minimum of seven individuals (men, women and children), four of which were cremated. Despite the exceptional use of the cremation method of burial, the Slaný grave fits the well-defined collective type of Corded Ware burials usually known from Bohemia, such as in Třebusice (Kladno District); Bylany (Kolín District); Chrášťany (Prague-west District). Similar, but not identical collective burials are known from Obrnice (Most District) and Určice (Prostějov District) in Moravia and Święte, site 20 (Grave 43) in Little Poland. Similar examples are also known from Saxony-Anhalt in the case of the Eulau collective burial. It appears these communal burials represent a particular variety of funerary practices (ritual) rather than evidence of a specific event. New archaeogenetic data may shed more light on the questions of whether these burials represent a nuclear family, what can we learn about the familial ties and the meaning of a collective funerary event. Some cases (Eulau) presume the multiple burials as a result of a violent occurrence (conflict or sacrifice) while others may be the result of disease or the special status of particular members of the community.
Praehistorische Zeitschrift, Volume 93, Issue 2, Pages 169–18, 2019
The paper presents the results of two grave exca- vations from the Magnice region in southwestern Poland. Both graves belong to the Corded Ware cultural tradition and provide evidence for two completely different ways of burying the dead practised by the same archaeological „culture“ over a similar time period. The differences are in grave construction and selection of grave goods, demonstrating a variety of attitudes towards the burial process. We focus on grave construction, biological condition of discovered human remains and on use-wear observation of lithic grave goods. We assume funeral patterns were known – learned or sensed – and shared by small local groups. Although a concept of an „idealized grave model(s)“ must have been part of commonly shared social and cultural rules, archaeological evidence shows it was realised in various ways that could be socially negotiated.
On the basis of the characteristics of Neolithic and Early Eneolithic mortuary practices in the area of North Carpathian Basin it can be argued that the existence of graveyards is an isolated phenomenon. Various rituals were involved in disposing of the dead. In this article, we focus on (un)usual burials which are singled out into two major categories: cremation and inhumation. Special emphasis is given to cremation as a mortuary practice: arguments for cremation; interpretation possibilities; examples of the use of fire and noticed phenomenon. IZVLE∞EK -S pomo≠jo zna≠ilnih neolitskih in eneolitskih pogrebnih praks v severnem delu Karpatske kotline sklepamo, da so pokopali∏≠a izoliran pojav. S pokopi so bili povezani razli≠ni rituali. V ≠lanku predstavljamo (ne)obi≠ajne pokope, ki sodijo v dve glavni kategoriji: se∫ig in pokop trupel. Poseben poudarek je namenjen se∫iganju kot pogrebni praksi: argumentom, interpretacijam in izbranim primerom.
Documenta Praehistorica, 2010
On the basis of the characteristics of Neolithic and Early Eneolithic mortuary practices in the area of North Carpathian Basin it can be argued that the existence of graveyards is an isolated phenomenon. Various rituals were involved in disposing of the dead. In this article, we focus on (un)usual burials which are singled out into two major categories: cremation and inhumation. Special emphasis is given to cremation as a mortuary practice: arguments for cremation; interpretation possibilities; examples of the use of fire and noticed phenomenon.
Musaica, 2017
The practice of re-opening of graves and the removal of grave goods is well-known from large inhumation cemeteries dating to the Early Bronze Age, primarily from the territory of Austria. These events are generally explained by material/economic motivations. Thus, more recently, the re-opening of Bronze Age graves is interpreted within a complex system of a multi-phase mortuary praxis or rite, including temporary burial depositions and post-funerary activities. In this paper I intend to focus on these particular post-funerary activities which transformed the original, primary depositions of inhumation burials dating to the Early Bronze Age recovered from the case-study region of my forthcoming PhD thesis. The closer study region is situated at the confluence of the Danube the Morava River and the Rába River, between 2000-1600 BC, according to the Hungarian terminology, the end of Early Bronze Age and first half of the Middle Bronze Age.
The main purpose of this paper is to contribute archaeological data towards the on-going discussion on the missing evidence of barrows of the late Eneolithic Corded Ware and Bell Beaker period in Central Europe. A variety of problems, such as demographic representation of cemeteries, burial customs and the spatial structure of funerary areas is associated with the missing barrows. The sites, such as Dřevohostice (East Moravia), represent one of the few examples of Eneolithic cemeteries with remaining surface relics of funerary activities. We also stress that the variability of late Eneolithic funerary monuments is, however, commonly reduced by modern ploughing and erosion. Therefore, the evidence from exceptionally preserved barrow cemeteries in Central Moravia is enormously important for the reconstruction of the structure and extent of cemeteries in the ploughed landscape. Such sites represent an exceptional opportunity to investigate the evidence of otherwise missing and highly invisible archaeological data. Furthermore, in some respects, this opportunity may be thought of as the key to answering many of the questions regarding Late Eneolithic funerary archaeology. In this paper we are going to summarize the aims and methodology of recent research into the late Eneolithic Corded Ware and Bell Beaker burial mounds.