Landscapes of the deceased: the structure and dynamics of the northern Emona necropolis (original) (raw)
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A topography of death: the funerary landscape of Emona
Experiencing the Landscape in Antiquity 3, 2024
This paper focuses on the topography and use of cemeteries of the Roman colony Iulia Emona (Ljubljana, Slovenia). They have been extensively excavated and to date more than 3500 graves have been discovered. This overview is based mostly on the latest excavations that provided data about cemetery and non-cemetery structures and features other than graves. The aim is to shed some light on the complexity of this funerary landscape, its relation to non-cemetery suburban areas, and to suggest that those two should not be viewed as sharply delineated, but as a functioning whole.
In 2011, at the site Davidovac-Gradište, archaeological rescue excavations were performed by a team from the Institute of Archaeology in Belgrade, conducted by Sofija Petković. The excavations were performed in the expropriation zone, along the route of the new highway Е 75-Coridor 10, to the southwest from the Davidovac village, at the site Gradište, on both sides of the road from Vranje to Bujanovac. In this zone a trace of Roman road Naissus-Scupi, Via publica, was discovered, as well as a Roman settlement formed along the communication, which lasted from the 4 th to the mid-5 th century, probably mansium. Necropolisеs of this settlement were also discovered-the cremation necropolis from the 2 nd-3 rd centuries (39 graves) and an inhumation necropolis from the second half of the 4 th and the first half of the 5 th century (67 graves). The graves of Mala Kopašnica-Sase type were discovered at the cremation necropolis, as well as shallow graves with or without an urn. In this necropolis five types of burials were confirmed, differentiated by the form of the grave and by funeral ritual.
In this article we present various modes of burial and burial rites in use at the two principal cemeteries of central and western Slovenia – Ljubljana and Tolmin – in the period of the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age. With the present analysis that includes a development of both cemeteries and an examination of burial rite, as well as grave constructions, we wish to complement the knowledge and understanding of the prehistoric communities in the south-eastern Alpine area. The comparative analysis showed that the burial rites of individual communities, representing part of the Urnfield culture phenomenon, differentiated essentially between each other. Evidently, these communities intentionally wanted to identify themselves not only with the attire, but also with the mode of burial and burial rites connected with the latter. Therefore, future analyses should take into consideration all the documented components of the burials.
NORTHERN CEMETERY OF EMONA - the Kozolec site
Situla 45en, 2021
The Roman colony of Emona was constructed at the beginning of the 1st century AD. It was a town with some 3000 inhabitants that lived for several centuries and was abandoned roughly between the mid-5th and mid-6th century Throughout its existence, it had three extensive cemeteries that lined its three major arteries: the eastern cemetery along the road towards Neviodunum and further on to Siscia, the northern cemetery along the road to Celeia and Poetovio, and the western cemetery along the road to Aquileia. The northern cemetery has been investigated from the middle of the 17th century onwards. The total number of graves excavated exceeds 3000.The book presents a small part of the cemetery, with only 61 investigated burials that were researched in 2010, 2011 and 2013, in advance of the parking garage construction at the site. The recovered remains are analysed by a series of experts from different fields.
Anthropological analysis of the Late Roman/Early Medieval cemetery of Novigrad (Istria)
Collegium antropologicum, 2003
The paper presents results of analysis of human skeletal remains recovered from Late Roman/Early Medieval cemetery of Novigrad (Istria). The "terminus post quem" for the site was established archaeologically as 5th or 6th century A.D. The aim of this work was detailed bioarchaeological analysis of each individual. It included determination of sex, age at the time of death, reconstruction of body height, and detailed description of pathological changes on bones and joint surfaces acquired during lifetime. The analysis provides limited information on demography, health and disease of the ancient inhabitants of Novigrad due to the limited sample size. Results show unusually high proportion of subadults, a life span range of women slightly lower compared to other contemporary populations, a high level of metabolic stress in childhood and a high level of skeletal indicators of physical stress suggesting that several of the analyzed individuals were exposed to heavy physical lab...
The research presented herein encompassed analysis of prehistoric graves from the necropolis of the Velika Mrdakovica Hillfort in the vicinity of Zaton, near Šibenik. These are five graves from the earliest period of burials, from the Early Iron Age. Their analysis and synthesis will serve as the point of departure for fuller insight into the long, rich and fluctuating history experienced by its inhabitants and inheritors. Based on the types of burials, the graves generally comply with rites typical of the Šibenik region and the central Adriatic coastal belt. However, the placement of the bodies fully extended deviated from the overriding practices in this core territory of the Liburnians. Most of the gathered physical cultural materials consist of personal attire items and jewellery of the deceased, which have been ascribed to the Liburnian culture in the broader sense of typological classification. In line with their previous cultural interpretation, they have been separated into men’s and women’s attire, wherein the finds of pins and fibulae, as well as ring-shaped jewellery and amber beads, are the most prominent. From the chronological standpoint, two general burial periods have been distinguished in their interpretation. Typical of the older graves is the large fibula with amber bead on the bow, while the younger graves are characterized by the predominance of the proto-Certosa fibula with a small globule at the end of the foot. Despite double or multiple interments, the materials indicate a certain chronological framework, which suggests simultaneous or very brief subsequent interments, interpreted in the sense of narrower familial graves. Synchronized with the Liburnian culture periodization, interments in the older graves proceeded in the II. A and B phases, while the younger ones proceeded from the end of cultural phase III and in phase IV according to the classical periodization scheme. In compliance with the typological-chronological analysis of the materials in comparison to coterminous phenomena in the Adriatic basin cultures, a revised relative and higher absolute chronological scheme for the Liburnian sphere are proposed in the synthesis.
2008
The aim of this study was the anthropological analysis of seven individuals from Late Roman period which were excavated in necropolis in Šid. Skeletal remains were incomplete, fragmentary and decomposed, so we couldn't manage to determinate sex and age of each individual (one senilis male, one maturus male, one adult male, one maturus female, two adult females, and one juvenilis I, unknown sex). To get a complete antropological picture of buried individuals, detailed descriptions of individual skeletal remains for each grave were given. The description comprehended: preservation and completeness of skeletal remains, sex and age estimation, stature estimation, paleopathological finds, nonmetric skeletal traits and skeletal markers of occupational stress. Dental analysis showed presence of caries, attrition, and periodontal disorders. A careful observation of skeletal remains demonstrated that these deceased suffered of joint diseases and hematological disorders. In consideration of all these real existences these people buried here, were health and led a quiet and wealthy life.