Homines, Funera, Astra” fileAdina BORONEANŢ (“Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology, Bucharest, Romania), Clive BONSALL (University of Edinburgh, School of History, Classics

International Symposium on Funerary Anthropology

“Homines, Funera, Astra”U “N 8

I 1V 9E 1 R ES IIT RA BT ME EA C „1 E DAL IABA L IU Institute of Archaeology Iaºi

"Iuliu Paul" Systemic Archaeology Institute

June

Alba Iulia

5 – 8, 2011“1 Decembrie 1918” University

Academia Românã

Investeºte în oameni!

PROIECT CO-FINANÞAT PRIN Fondul Social European prin Programul Operaþional Sectorial pentru Dezvoltarea Resurselor Umane 2007 – 2013

AXA PRIORITARÃ 1 Educaþia ºi formarea profesionalã în sprijinul creºterii economice ºi dezvoltãrii societãþii bazate pe cunoaºtere

DOMENIUL MAJOR DE INTERVENÞIE 1.5 Programe doctorale ºi postdoctorale în sprijinul cercetãrii

TITLUL PROIECTULUI ªtiinþele socio-umaniste în contextul evoluþiei globalizate – dezvoltarea ºi implementarea programului de studii ºi cercetare postdoctorale.

CONTRACT POSDRU 89/1.5/S/61104

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International Symposium on Funerary Anthropology

“Homines, Funera, Astra”

“1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia 5 – 8 June 2011

Sunday, June 5th

12.00 – 21.00

Arrival of participants

Monday, June 6th

9.00 – 9.30

Opening ceremony - Main building, Aula, 1st floor

I. Prehistory

9.30 – 10.00

Valentin-Codrin CHIRICA, Vasile CHIRICA (Institute of Archaeology, Iaşi,

Romania)

La Spiritualité des enterrements paléolithiques: pièces d’art mobilier

et de parure, déposées comme des offrandes

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10.00 – 10.30

Adina BORONEANŢ (“Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology, Bucharest,

Romania), Clive BONSALL (University of Edinburgh, School of History,

Classics and Archaeology, United Kingdom)

Burial Practices in the Iron Gates Mesolithic

10.30 – 11.00

Mihai GLIGOR (“1 Decembrie 1918” University, Alba Iulia, Romania),

Mariana ROŞU (“Mina Minovici” National Institute of Legal Medicine,

Bucharest, Romania) Viorel PANAITESCU (“Mina Minovici” National

Institute of Legal Medicine Bucharest, Romania),

Bioarchaeological Inferences from Neolithic human remains at Alba

Iulia – Lumea Nouă (Romania)

11.00 – 11.30

Raluca KOGĂLNICEANU (“Teohari Antonescu” Giurgiu County Museum,

Romania), Alexandru MORINTZ (“Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology,

Bucharest, Romania)

The funerary space in the Hamangia culture

11.30 – 12.00

Susan STRATTON (Cardiff University, United Kingdom), Dušan BORIŠ

(Cardiff University, United Kingdom)

Gendered bodies and objects in the mortuary domain: Comparative

analyses of Durankulak cemetery

12.00 – 12.30

Raluca KOGĂLNICEANU (“Teohari Antonescu” Giurgiu County Museum,

Romania), Monica MĂRGĂRIT (“Valahia” University, Târgovişte, Romania)

Shell adornments in the Hamangia culture

12.30 – 15.00

Lunch

Visiting the archaeological exhibitions

“A History Lesson. Pottery manufacturing 8000 years ago”

“Funerary rites and beliefs at Apulum – Houses for the World Beyond”

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15.00 – 15.30

Cătălin LAZĂR (National Museum of History of Romania, Bucharest,

Romania), Gabriel VASILE (National Museum of History of Romania,

Bucharest, Romania), Theodor IGNAT (Museum of Bucharest, Romania)

Some observations about Eneolithic cemetery from Sultana – Malu

Roşu (Southeast Romania): traditions, rules and exceptions

15.30 – 16.00

Dimitar CHERNAKOV (History Museum of Russe, Bulgaria)

Late Chalcolithic foundation burial of a child in Kosharna Tell

16.00 – 16.30

Ladislav ŠMEJDA (University of West Bohemia, Plzeň, Czech Republic)

The patterns of grave disturbances at the prehistoric cemetery of

Holesov, Czech Republic

16.30 – 17.00

Gheorghe LAZAROVICI (“Eftimie Murgu” University, Reşiţa, Romania)

Fleshing. Case study: Tureni – Tumulul Mare (Cluj County)

17.00 – 17.30

Cristian SCHUSTER (“Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology, Bucharest,

Romania), Alexandru MORINTZ (“Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology,

Bucharest, Romania), Raluca KOGĂLNICEANU (“Teohari Antonescu”

Giurgiu County Museum, Romania)

Funerary monuments on the A2 Highway (Cernavoda-Medgidia

segment). Case study: Tumulus no. 3

17.30 – 18.00

Angela SIMALCSIK (Iaşi branch of the Romanian Academy, Department of

Anthropology, Romania), Bogdan Petru NICULICĂ (Bucovina Museum

Complex, Suceava, Romania)

The tumulus necropolis from Adâncata-Imaş, Suceava County. The

results of the anthropological analysis

19.00

Dinner

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Tuesday, June 7th

8.00

Depart to Roşia Montană (Alburnus Maior)

II. Protohistory, Roman and post – Roman Periods

10.00 – 10.30

Vitalie BÂRCĂ (Institute of Archaeology and Art History, Cluj-Napoca,

Romania)

Funerary rite and rituals of the early Sarmatians (2nd-1st centuries BC)

on the territory between the Don River and the Danube mouths

10.30 - 11.00 Michael VICKERS (University of Oxford, Jesus College, United Kingdom) Coins and pebbles from the Anglo-Georgian excavations at Pichvnari

11.00 – 11.30

Dan APARASCHIVEI (Institute of Archaeology, Iaşi, Romania), Mihaela

IACOB (Institute of Eco-Museal Research, Tulcea, Romania), Andrei

SOFICARU („Fr. I. Rainer” Institute of Anthropology, Bucharest, Romania),

Viorica VASILACHE (“Al. I. Cuza” University, Iaşi, Romania)

Aspects of everyday life reflected in the funerary discoveries from

Ibida (Slava Rusă, Tulcea County)

11.30 – 12.00

Alexander RUBEL (Institute of Archaeology, Iaşi, Romania), Andrei

SOFICARU („Fr. I. Rainer” Institute of Anthropology, Bucharest, Romania)

Child burials in Roman Dobrudja. Report on work in progress: The

Situation at Ibida (Slava Rusă)

12.00 – 12.30

Irina Adriana ACHIM (“Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology, Bucharest,

Romania)

Sépultures d’enfants dans les nécropoles romaines et tardo-romaines

en Dobroudja. Quelques réflexions

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12.30 - 13.00

Roxana CURCĂ (“Al. I. Cuza” University, Iaşi, Romania)

Lexique funéraire antique concernant l'espace carpato-pontique

13.00 – 13.30

Vlad - Andrei LĂZĂRESCU (Institute of Archaeology and Art History, Cluj-

Napoca, Romania)

Sacrificial rites or “simply” burials? New approaches in Early

Migration Period spiritual life

13.30 – 15.00

Lunch

15.00 – 18.00

Presentation of the archaeological project ALBURNUS MAIOR and its

cultural heritage and conservation aspects. Site visit.

Wednesday, June 8th

9.00 – 12.00

Visiting the Alba Carolina Vauban fortress.

12.00

Departure of participants.

Organizing Committee:

Mihai Gligor (“1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia, Romania)

Raluca Kogălniceanu (Giurgiu County Museum, Romania)

Roxana-Gabriela Curcă (“Al. I. Cuza” University of Iasi, Romania)

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Abstracts

La Spiritualité des enterrements paléolithiques: pièces d’art mobilier et de

parure, déposées comme des offrandes

Valentin-Codrin CHIRICA, Vasile CHIRICA (Institute of Archaeology, Iaşi,

Romania)

L’attention accordée aux morts par les communautés humaines

paléolithiques peut être expliquée par deux éléments spécifiques exclusivement à

l’HOMME, comme entité supérieure du monde vivant : 1, le fait qu’il avait le

sentiment religieux; 2, par le caractère social de toute ses activités. Nous ne

pourrons jamais savoir la manière de réception de la mort dans les acceptions de la

vie des communautés humaines anciennes. Mais nous croyons qu’il existé une

conscience de la mort. Nous ne savons pas si l’anthropophagie rituelle est née au

début, avec l’idée de protection des corps des morts, ou beaucoup plus tard, selon

certaines clarifications d’ordre spirituel, comme un réflexe thaumaturgique,

concernant les éventuelles valences de supériorité de ceux qui s’étaient imposés

dans la vie sociale de la communauté; nous n’excluons non plus la consommation

rituelle du corps ou des parties du corps des morts qui lorsqu’ils étaient vivants,

présentaient des malformations pathologiques, se trouvant donc, idéologiquement,

en dehors de la communauté (peut-être même en position de supériorité, non

d’infériorité). Nous n’excluons non plus le cannibalisme, mais nous croyons qu’il

s’agit d’idéologie, donc de mentalités spécifiques seulement à certaines

communautés humaines. Il est très probable que la mort a été perçue, initialement,

surtout temporairement, comme partie du sommeil, raison pour laquelle, lorsqu’on

a découvert des tombeaux à squelettes entières, en position anatomique, ceux-ci

démontrent que les morts étaient enterrés « dans la position du sommeil ».

Une analyse des découvertes démontre qu’il n’y a pas eu de pratiques ou

cannons obligatoires, à travers des espaces géographiques larges, ou dans le cadre

des cultures archéologiques. Nous croyons que les pratiques rituelles sont apparues

et se sont multipliées dans des activités spécifiques, par l’expérience et des ajouts

permanents, par l’association des rites de passage et transmission, à éléments

idéologiques et par des socialisations, dans le cadre de la communauté ou par des

relations intercommunautaires. Les pratiques rituelles ont certainement existé,

même si nous ne connaissons les détails des manifestations cultuelles.

Il existe beaucoup d’interrogations encore sans réponse: statistiquement, on

a constaté qu’en ce qui concerne les enterrements (nous n’analysons pas en ce

contexte leurs caractéristiques, mais seulement l’idée de protection du corps après

la mort) du Paléolithique moyen européen, la plus grande attention est accordée

aux enfants, même aux nouveaux nés, car on a trouvé plusieurs squelettes d’enfants

que d’adultes; la situation est renversée pendant les autres étapes (cultures)

paléolithiques; pendant la même période, de début, ou même pendant le

Paléolithique supérieur (parfois), les offrandes déposées à côté du mort, même

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enfant, étaient représentées par des outils en pierre (bifaciales etc.)en association à

pièces d’art ou de parure; à la même époque, pendant le Paléolithique moyen en

Europe, mais aussi dans le Proche Orient, dans les tombeaux spécialement

aménagés on déposait des offrandes de viande (y compris les os) des animaux

chassés, ou les cornes de ceux-ci, fait interprété comme un élément de substitution,

de démonstration de la suprématie de l’homme par rapport à l’environnement en

permanence hostile; pendant le Paléolithique supérieur, peut-être à l’exception de

certaines découvertes de Kostienki, où l’on a déposé de nombreuses offrandes de

pièces lithiques, dans le reste du Continent les offrandes étaient représentés par des

objets de parure et/ou des pièces d’art mobilier; comme une subdivision de cette

constatation, surtout en France et en Italie, la plus grande partie des offrandes étant

constituées par des coquilles perforées, des espèces marines, pléistocènes,

d’habitude du Bassin Parisien. De ce point de vue, on remarque le triple tombeau

de Sungir, Russie, avec cette quantité immense d’objets d’inventaire, déposés

comme offrandes, à côté de l’homme et des deux enfants; une attention spéciale

étaient accordée, selon nous, aux membres de la communauté à malformations

pathologiques (peut-être nous ne généralisons pas, mais la constatation se réfère au

Gravettien de Dolni Vestonice): le corps de la femme sur le visage de laquelle on

a constaté l’existence de déformations pathologiques a été protégé par la fouille

d’une fosse couverte d’omoplates de mammouth, dont l’un peint; toujours là-bas,

le triple tombeau, des jeunes, avaient dans son centre, entre deux garçons, le corps

d’une fille (lui aussi à déformations pathologiques du visage), dans la zone génitale

(là où la main du garçon à sa gauche était tendue) étant déposée une grande

quantité d’ocre rouge. On remarque aussi le tombeau d’âge moustérien de

Shanidar, là où le corps du mort a été déposé sur un „lit‖ de fleurs, que les bergers

nomades irakiens cherchent encore de nos jours pour leurs qualités guérisseuses.

Ce fait, et beaucoup d’autres (la déposition d’ocre rouge), démontre, comme

élément de généralisation, la croyance dans la résurrection des morts.

L’étude essaiera aussi la systématisation de l’idée d’enterrement, de

phénomène funéraire, dans le Paléolithique moyen et supérieur d’Europe et du

Proche Orient, selon plusieurs critères, parmi lesquels nous mentionnons:

- la déposition du mort dans des espaces difficilement accessibles, sans aménagements spéciaux, mais à offrandes de pièces en silex; - la protection simple du mort (d’habitude on déposait seulement la tête / le crâne),

à cercle de pierres;

- l’aménagement de la fosse du tombeau et la déposition du corps, à accessoires

rituelles – offrandes de viande ou/et cornes d’animaux;

- l’aménagement spécial de la fosse du tombeau, surtout pour les membres de la

communauté, qui se faisaient remarquer par des spécificités physiques ou

psychiques;

- tombeaux d’enfants; tombeaux d’adultes; tombeaux de femmes; tombeaux

d’hommes; tombeaux communs; la relation de filiation entre les morts;

- tombeaux simples; tombeaux doubles; tombeaux triples;

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- tombeaux isolés; fosses communes; nécropoles à plusieurs tombeaux ou à

nombreux squelettes, dont on ne sait pas s’ils étaient ou non contemporains;

- ré-enterrements, possiblement rituels, de certaines parties du squelette;

- identification d’éléments de cannibalisme ou d’anthropophagie cultuelle, rituelle;

- emplacement des enterrements : dans des grottes, dans des abris, dans des sites de

plein air;

- relation topographique, spatiale, entre l’habitation - campement et la fosse du

tombeau etc.

Une autre catégorie importante d’informations se réfère aux offrandes

déposées dans les tombeaux:

- offrandes de viande et/ ou de corne d’animaux ;

- offrandes d’outils et armes en matières dures animales;

- offrandes d’outils et d’armes en pierre ;

- offrandes d’objets associés: en pierre et en matières dures animales;

- offrandes en pièces de parure : perles, dents perforées, coquilles perforées etc.;

- offrandes en pièces d’art mobilier ou en objets non-utilitaires.

Nous conclurons l’étude par l’essai d’analyse de la signification des

enterrements paléolithiques, en fonction du caractère de l’emplacement: a) sans

importance particulière; b) sanctuaire.

Remerciements Cette recherche a été financée par le Programme Opérationnel Sectoriel pour le

Développement des Ressources Humaines 2007-2013 et co-financée par le Fond Social

Européen dans le cadre du projet de recherche POSDRU/89/1.5/S/61104 Les sciences

sociales et humaines dans le contexte de l’évolution globalisée – déroulement et

développement du programme d’études et de recherche postdoctorale.

9

Burial Practices in the Iron Gates Mesolithic

Adina BORONEANŢ (―Vasile Pârvan‖ Institute of Archaeology, Bucharest,

Romania), Clive BONSALL (University of Edinburgh, School of History, Classics

and Archaeology, United Kingdom)

Sites in the Iron Gates section of the Lower Danube Valley between Serbia

and Romania contain some of the richest concentrations of Mesolithic and early

Neolithic burials in Europe. Burials have been recorded from at least 13 sites and

four of these, Lepenski Vir, Padina, Schela Cladovei and Vlasac each contained

very large numbers of graves. The burials encompass a range of mortuary

practices, including single inhumation in various body positions, multiple

inhumation, cremation and excarnation.

Our paper examines the evidence for temporal and spatial patterning in

Mesolithic and Early Neolithic mortuary practices in the Iron Gates. We also

discuss the problems of direct 14

C dating of human bone from the Iron Gates sites,

and how these might be resolved. Illustration: Late Mesolithic burial from Schela Cladovei (© Clive Bonsall)

Bioarchaeological Inferences from Neolithic human remains at Alba Iulia-

Lumea Nouă (Romania)

Mihai GLIGOR (―1 Decembrie 1918‖ University, Alba Iulia, Romania), Mariana

ROŞU (―Mina Minovici‖ National Institute of Legal Medicine, Bucharest,

Romania) Viorel PANAITESCU (―Mina Minovici‖ National Institute of Legal

Medicine Bucharest, Romania),

The Lumea Nouă site is situated in the NE area of Alba Iulia (Transylvania),

on the second terrace of the Mureş river. Last year's research have shown that the

10

most intense habitation belongs to Foeni group bearers, to whom we also attribute

one of the outstanding discoveries from 2003 and 2005, which is the funerary

complex with particular mortuary practices. Human remains of about 100 persons

have been evidenced, researched and analysed, mostly human skulls. Some of the

skulls present round-shaped clogging fractures. The human skeletal remains have

not been found in anatomical connection. The anthropological analyses have

confirmed presence of human remains from both children, male and female adults.

The archaeological context did not lead to tracing signs of violence. The AMS

dates offer a timeframe between 4600 and 4500 calBC, therefore fitting this

discovery in the Foeni group evolution, which coincides with the beginning of

eneolithic in Transylvania.

From the human osteological material found in Alba Iulia-Lumea Nouă, the

current paper intends to analyze especially a representative set of human mandibles

and maxillaries. In particular, the study of the mandibles has allowed us to

ascertain that some of them present on the mandibular branch an area with obvious

sectioning traces, that present regular, oblique margins. Most probably, these

operations have taken place perimortem or postmortem. The fact that the mandibles

are detached from the skull is a remarkable aspect of the unusual mortuary

practices of the Lumea Nouă Foeni community.

Acknowledgement

This work was possible with the financial support of the Sectoral Operational Programme

for Human Resources Development 2007-2013, co-financed by the European Social Fund,

under the project number POSDRU/89/1.5/S/61104 with the title „Social sciences and

humanities in the context of global development - development and implementation of

postdoctoral research‖.

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The funerary space in the Hamangia culture

Raluca KOGĂLNICEANU (―Teohari Antonescu‖ Giurgiu County Museum,

Romania), Alexandru MORINTZ (―Vasile Pârvan‖ Institute of Archaeology,

Bucharest, Romania)

There are few funerary discoveries known for the Hamangia culture. These

are the well known cemeteries of Durankulak and Cernavodă – Columbia D, the

less known cemeteries of Limanu, Mangalia and Cernavodă – Coada Zăvoiului and

another discovery of two graves, attributed to the Hamangia culture, made near

Constanta during rescue excavations. Based on these discoveries we will analyze

the spatial relationship between the living and the dead, between the domestic area

and the funerary area, considering aspects such as distance, direction and visibility.

Acknowledgement






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Gendered bodies and objects in the mortuary domain: Comparative analyses of

Durankulak cemetery

Susan STRATTON (Cardiff University, United Kingdom), Dušan BORIŠ (Cardiff

University, United Kingdom)

Burial practices are not a simple reflection of actual social identities of the

dead, rather the funeral ritual is an opportunity for the living to express and

reinforce ideologies through the use of cultural symbols. Gender is a culturally

constructed social category constructed through relationships with material objects

and is constantly being renegotiated through their use. Although it is often based on

biological sex it is not defined by it and can change or develop with age. Funerary

practices of the Early and Middle Neolithic (c. 6300–5400 BC) in the area between

the Carpathians and the Dniester show little evidence for gender differentiation, but

during the Late Neolithic notably to the south in Hamangia cemeteries such as

Durankulak and Cernavodă, there was a marked increase in the number of grave

goods accompanying burials.

By the early and middle Copper Age (c. 4500–3500 BC) the use of material

culture as markers of gender became highly developed in Varna period cemeteries.

Bodily ornamentation or tools became parts or extensions of the body that altered

gendered self-awareness, which appear to have been developed from childhood.

The display of gendered objects in the grave context would have been part of the

creation and renegotiation of idealised gender practices. This paper argues that

objects were not only used to represent gendered identities but that they formed a

key role in their creation and reproduction.

Shell adornments in the graves of the Hamangia culture’s cemetery from

Cernavodă

Raluca KOGĂLNICEANU (―Teohari Antonescu‖ Giurgiu County Museum,

Romania), Monica MĂRGĂRIT (―Valahia‖ University, Târgovişte, Romania)

Jewelry is one category of goods found in graves that, on one side, are

apparently lacking any practical functionality, while on the other side is the most

persistent category of all, used along the millennia in this type of context.

Raw materials processing has changed, more often than not, the natural shape of

the items and has provided, in the context of the Cernavodă necropolis, seven

typological categories, belonging to the category of adornments. Stone has been

used in two cases, respectively for producing a tubular bead and a button, bone has

been used to make a ring, while the rest of the items (tubular beads, trilobite beads,

biconvex beads, pendants, buttons, perforated platelets, bracelets) have been made

out of Spondylus sp. shell.

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The study of each typological group has been developed according to five

coordinates: raw matter used, trying to identify, in the end, whether we are dealing

with a random selection or one dictated by cultural factors; morphology and

morphometry of the supports, in order to determine whether standard objects were

produced, to be used, especially when it comes to beads, in composite ornaments;

working techniques, following the two major operations of the reduction sequence

– debitage and shaping; the function of the objects, the wear degree, giving the

possibility to answer the question whether they were worked and served strictly as

funeral offering or were used in lifetime as well; identification of similar objects,

coming both from settlements and from Neolithic funeral contexts, in order to be

able to identify possible cultural markers and check whether the cultural models

issued so far, concerning the assimilation of a typological category or working

technique or culture are veridical.

What is jewelry’s role? To ensure beauty in the afterlife? To indicate some

social status of the deceased? We will try to answer some of these questions

considering the discoveries made in the Hamangia cemetery from Cernavodă.

Acknowledgement






Some observations about Eneolithic cemetery from Sultana-Malu Roşu

(Southeast Romania): traditions, rules and exceptions

Cătălin LAZĂR (National Museum of History of Romania, Bucharest, Romania),

Gabriel VASILE (National Museum of History of Romania, Bucharest, Romania),

Theodor IGNAT (Museum of Bucharest, Romania)

The Eneolithic cemetery is located near the Sultana-Malu Roşu Eneolithic

tell, northeast of the Sultana village, commune of Mânăstirea, in Călăraşi county,

14

southeast Romania. This is a settlement from the second half of the fifth

millennium BC (Kodjadermen-Gumelniţa-Karanovo VI complex).

Between 2006-2010 we found 36 inhumations graves. Most of the graves

are similar to each other and, in terms of basic elements of the rite and funerary

rules, they reflect common burial tradition characteristic of the Kodjadermen-

Gumelniţa-Karanovo VI cultural complex. The skeletons were found in normal

anatomical positions. Most of them had been laid in a fetal position (lateral, dorsal

or ventral) on their left side. Only in three cases the skeletons were lying in fetal

positions on their right side. There is no relationship between the age or sex of the

individuals and the positions of skeletons. Re-burials represent a special situation.

We consider these situations as representing the result of accidental or special

circumstances that did not allow for normal conduction of funeral rites

(exceptions). The cemetery area also yielded two pits (C6/2007 and C1/2009) from

the same period. These complexes contained ceramic fragments, animal bones,

shells etc. and reflected probably some commemorating ceremonies or some stages

of the funeral ceremony. The burials from the Sultana-Malu Roşu cemetery and the

elements of funerary treatment identified here bear similarities with the standard

mortuary practices of the Kodjadermen-Gumelniţa-Karanovo VI complex.

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by CNCSIS-UEFISCU, project number PN II-RU, code 16/2010.

Late Chalcolithic foundation burial of a child in Kosharna Tell

Dimitar CHERNAKOV (History Museum of Russe, Bulgaria)

The settlement mound stands 3 km south of the village of Kosharna, Slivo pole

municipality. The tell resembles a truncated cone, with a diameter of 66 m at the

15

base, average height of 5 m, and an area of 2.7 decares. It is situated on a south-

eastern facing slope, close to a small spring.

Archaeological investigations, directed by Dimitar Chernakov, began in

2007. To date, four habitation layers, dated in the Late Chalcolithic and the

Gumelnitsa culture (4500–4100 B.C.E) have been studied through test trenches.

Destructions of several burnt dwellings have been uncovered, oriented according to

their short walls north-south. Fixed in the ground beams supported the wattle-and-

daub structure. In certain dwellings the floor had several renovations of yellow or

green clay, periodically fired.

In 2009 a sector of a dwelling of the third habitation layer was studied.

Oriented in accordance with the rest of the buildings, it is 6 m wide, while the

entire length has not yet been established. Its destructions include charcoals,

pottery fragments, wall plaster and traces of burnt wooden construction. The

eastern wall is marked by an irregular line of ten post holes with outer clay plaster.

The western wall is marked by five line post holes. The dwelling featured at least

two rooms, separated by an internal wall, executed in a similar to the outer wall

manner. Three layers are distinguished on the clay floor. In the southern room two

complete vessels were found, as well as stones used as ground stones. In the second

room there were three vessels, two of which were fragmented in the destruction of

the dwelling. One of those contained a collective find of 23 flint blades, two

fragments of decorative Spondylus artefacts and a river clam shell. Those finds are

characteristic of the Late Chalcolithic period.

A child’s skeleton, in contracted position to the right, head to the south-

west, was excavated beneath the ground of this dwelling. The skull is crushed

under the pressure of the overlying strata, and the bones of one of the hands are

found behind it. Animal bones were found dispersed around the skeleton and a

shell atop of the back of the skull. A spot of a dust with grey colour has been

detected over the skeleton.

The situation is the serial proof of exsisting the intramural burial tradition

in Late Chalcolithic in area of Gumelnitsa culture.

The patterns of grave disturbances at the prehistoric cemetery of Holesov, Czech

Republic

Ladislav ŠMEJDA (University of West Bohemia, Plzeň, Czech Republic)

The cemetery of Holešov, consisting of 430 graves dated to the Bell Beaker

culture, Epi-Corded Ware Carpathian cultural complex and Únětice culture, was

discovered in 1950 and fully excavated in 1964-1970. This paper addresses one

peculiar phenomenon related to the site, which is typical for the Central European

Early Bronze Age: the secondary re-opening of graves, often leading to the

substantial interference with a skeleton and selective removal of grave goods.

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There is also another type of grave disturbance present on the site that is caused by

simple superposition (i.e. when a chronologically later grave cuts into an earlier

one). Interestingly, the two types of grave interference are spatially separated

within the necropolis. In this paper we will explore an interpretive context of these

two phenomena. The central method employed here will be the spatial analysis in

the broad sense, including the application of geographical information systems and

network analysis. It will be argued that the two types of grave disturbances show

distinct characteristics in many respects; they are separated spatially as well as

chronologically, their significance for our understanding of the site is quite

different and they both relate to the opposing patterns underlying the internal

cemetery structuring. An attempt will be made in the conclusion to explain the

possible causes of intervention into burials in terms of social relations of the early

Bronze Age in central Europe.

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Defleshing. Case study: Tureni – Tumulul Mare (Cluj County)

Gheorghe LAZAROVICI (―Eftimie Murgu‖ University, Reşiţa, Romania)

The defleshing is a well known ritual in the literature on Native Americans.

In the Romanian archaeological literature it was left aside by the archaeologists

although many ethnographic clues were preserved, such as the digging up of the

body, the washing of the bones and their reburial seven years after the death

occurred.

The archaeological proofs are numerous, but they have not been interpreted

properly and neither specialized studies on the skeletons were done. The

archaeologist usually recorded these cases with the expressions „partially

preserved‖, „disturbed‖, etc.

We consider as archaeological proofs for defleshing the following finds:

- The agglomeration of tens of fragments of bone from various body parts in small

areas of two burial mounds from Petrindului Mountains;

- piled body parts (Cheile Aiudului, Petreşti de Sus, Sănduleşti, Tărtăria);

- Partial skeletons (such as left foot for example) deposited under large undisturbed

slabs;

- missing of body parts;

- indirectly, the lack of cemeteries for entire civilizations, with thousands of

settlements which would indicate a funerary practice other than inhumation /

incineration and the burials in cemeteries / near houses.

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Funerary monuments on the A2 Highway (Cernavoda-Medgidia segment). Case

study: Tumulus no. 3

Cristian SCHUSTER (―Vasile Pârvan‖ Institute of Archaeology, Bucharest,

Romania), Alexandru MORINTZ (―Vasile Pârvan‖ Institute of Archaeology,

Bucharest, Romania), Raluca KOGĂLNICEANU (―Teohari Antonescu‖ Giurgiu

County Museum, Romania)

The presence of a tumulus in the Medgidia region from Dobrudja is not a

rarity. The analysis of various older and newer maps, of satellite images and the

field research led us to the observation that the tumuli, isolated or grouped (2 or 3),

were distributed like in a parallel row with the Carasu Valley.

Even if the past landscape suffered extreme transformations, especially

during the last century, and caused mainly by the construction of the Danube –

Black Sea Channel, some of the tumuli can be noticed even today from medium

distance. Some of them are visible even from the other bank of the Channel. It is

most probable that during Prehistory, and even after that, in the absence of high

vegetation (Dobrudja is known for its steppe vegetation), the tumuli dominated the

landscape and they might have been real steak poles on the itinerary of some

nomadic populations.

The T3 tumulus investigated by us dates from the Early Bronze Age,

Yamnaja culture, and consisted in one central grave with stone and wooden

structure, a circular ditch, and several other secondary graves. The inhumation is

the only practice documented in this tumulus. An interesting aspect is the looting of

its main grave, possibly in two moments different in time.

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The tumulus necropolis from Adâncata-Imaş, Suceava county. The results of the

anthropological analysis

Angela SIMALCSIK (Iaşi branch of the Romanian Academy, Department of

Anthropology, Romania), Bogdan Petru NICULICĂ (Bucovina Museum Complex,

Suceava, Romania)

In the period 2000-2005 systematic archaeological investigations were

carried out in the tumulus necropolis from Adâncata-Imaş, Suceava county. The

necropolis, situated about 12 km. NE from the town of Suceava, belongs, according

to the findings’ feastures, to Komariv culture – Middle Bronze Age. It is the only

one investigated so far in Romania; this is why special attention was payed to the

digging system, to the interdisciplinary analysis (geological, geomorphological,

pedological, metallographical). The present report displays the results of the

anthropological investigations carried out upon the osteological remains sampled

from the 11 excavated tumuli. The importance of the introduction of these data in

the scientific circuit resides in the uniqueness of these Komariv discoveries.

The present study’s aim laid in the anthropological analysis of the human

remains (buried and cremated) discovered at Adâncata-Imaş, Adâncata village,

Suceava county (about 2200-1700 BC). The bone pieces were restored in the extent

that they were fit for restoration and then marked; further, the thorough

morphoscopic investigation and the anthropometrical data sampling were carried

out. The following objectives were achieved, as far as the preservation state

allowed: establishing the gender and approximate age at death; anthropometrical

analysis; morphoscopical analysis; establishing the pathologies and anomalies

identified at each individual. The anthropological analysis was carried out

according to the methods, criteria and techniques recommended by specialists.

Since an individual’s lifestyle may leave marks on the bone structures, the

anthropological observations obtained in this study, together with the

archaeological ones, allow us to create an overview of the community from

Adâncata.

Acknowledgement

This work was possible with the financial support of the

Sectoral Operational Programme for Human Resources

Development 2007-2013, co-financed by the European

Social Fund, under the project number

POSDRU/89/1.5/S/61104 with the title „Social sciences

and humanities in the context of global development -

development and implementation of postdoctoral

research‖.

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21

Funerary rite and rituals of the early Sarmatians (2nd

-1st centuries BC) on the

territory between the Don River and the Danube mouths

Vitalie BÂRCĂ (Institute of Archaeology and Art History, Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

Location and layout of graves Graves from the early Sarmatian period

discovered in the researched territory are located mainly in the region comprised

between Dnieper and Don rivers, except for the burials from Burgunka (T 1 G 1)

and L’vovo (T 1 G 1 and T 6 G 1) on Dnieper right bank and that from Nicolscoe

(T 1 G 7) left of Dniester and other two graves from Bezeni (damaged burial) and

Holmskoe (T 4) in the Prut-Dniester interflow. The vast majority of graves are

reusing older tumuli. Usually, tumuli belong to the Bronze age, yet there are cases

when they belong to the Eneolithic (Novolugansk T 1 G 1, Nicolscoe T 1 G 7) or

Schythian periods (Balki T 26 G 1; Bol’šaja Belozerka T 1 G 1; Bol’šaja Belozerka

(Bliznecy group) T 1 G 3).

Grave types According to the pit shape, several grave types are knows: 1. oval (Fig. 1/4); 2. rectangular; 3. rectangular with lateral steps (Fig. 1/2–3); 4. rectangular with niche; 5. trapezoidal (Fig. 1/1); 6. catacomb (Fig. 1/5).

Most numerous graves have a rectangularly-shaped pit (13), followed by

oval pits (4), rectangular with lateral steps (5), trapezoidal (3), rectangular with

niche (2) and catacomb (1). The pit limits could not established for 31 graves.

According to the overall situation, we believe that most graves had a rectangularly-

shaped pit.

Fig. 1. Funerary pit and construction shapes of early Sarmatian graves from the north of the Black Sea

22

Grave layouts For the arrangement of their graves, the Sarmatians used timber especially to cover graves, close niche or catacomb entrances, pit bottoms, arrange entrances in niche or catacomb burials or the niches themselves. Coffins, chest coffins and sarcophagi were wooden made; as well, certain grave walls were timber planked. Tree bark, reed, sedge or other vegetal material were additionally used. Most often, the pit bottom was covered with grass, reed, tree bark and brushwood. Brushwood, grass, reed and stones were also utilized to cover the grave. Same materials, including stone plinths closed catacombs and niche entrances. At times, traces of vegetal pillows were identified under the skull of the bodies in several Sarmatian graves.

Elements of inside arrangement were discovered in 15 instances of early Sarmatian graves in the North Pontic area.

Orientation and position of the bodies Out of 59 early Sarmatian graves identified in the analysed area, 29 (49%) of the bodies are oriented to the north, northwest and northeast, 12 (20%) to the south, southwest and southeast, 3 (5%) to the east and 1 (2%) to the west, while in 14 (24%) cases the orientation is uncertain. Most probably, the majority of the latter had the bodies oriented to the north, northwest and northeast.

Eastward or westward orientation of the bodies is characteristic neither to the early Sarmatian environment from the north of the Black Sea or that in the area east of Don during the 3rd—1st centuries BC. On the other hand, such orientation is specific for burials of Syracian Sarmatians in the Kuban region. The eastward oriented grave from Kairy (T 2 G 24) is representative as its inventory comprises a cup typical for the Kuban region.

Concerning the position of the bodies within the grave it is worth

mentioning that the extended position on the back is predominant. Nonetheless,

there are cases when skeleton arms and legs were differently positioned.

Elements of the funerary ritual White (chalk, white clay, white sand,

plaster, shells), various shades of red (ochre, realgar) and rarely yellow minerals

(sulpha) held a very important place within the funerary ritual of the Sarmatians.

The custom of spreading the pit or coffin bottom with powder chalk is most often

encountered within the graves. Chalk in small bits, as well as its substitutes—white

clay, plaster and shells, red-coloured (ochre, realgar) and yellow-coloured minerals

are also found. Inside certain Sarmatian graves small piles of charred wood and ash

were identified.

Within early Sarmatian graves from the analysed area, elements of the

funerary ritual preserved in only three cases (Novobarannikovka T 2 G 1,

Sergeevka T 4 G 17, Holmskoe T 4), although they are rather frequent in early

burials in the area east of Don and Volga. The body in the grave from

Novobarannikovka had its chest painted in red (realgar?) and the pit bottom of the

grave from Sergeevka was sprinkled with chalk. Animal offerings Within the analysed burials animal offerings are present

in 17 out of 59 graves. Accordingly, out of 17 graves with animal offerings, 13 comprise sheep and ram bones, 2 consist of horse bones, 1 includes large horned animal bones and 1 grave contains swine bones (?). Of 17 burials, the offering was

23

placed in the skull area in 8 cases, in 6 instances in the leg area, in one case under the right hand palm and the pit bottom in another case.

In 7 cases the animal offering was accompanied by knives, in 4 cases it

was found in different places of the grave pit, in two cases it was deposited in jugs

together with a knife and in one case it was discovered in a vessel.

Funerary inventory: composition and position within graves Early

burials comprise rather large quantities of hand-made pottery compared to wheel-

made pottery. Hand-made pottery is largely of Sarmatian origin and in a few cases

is imported. In two instances (Sokolovo T 1 G 1, Ševčenko T 2 G 18) hand-made

and wheel-made pottery were identified together. Wheel-made pottery is entirely

imported. Out of the total, most numerous are cups.

The majority of pottery was deposited in the skull area, a few in the leg

area and rarely, around the hands or basin. Household objects were also deposited,

yet in small numbers (loom weights, whetstones and piercing tools).

Best represented are jewelry and dress items. Their typological variety is

rather limited and certain items did not even spread on a general basis in the early

Sarmatian world. Large part was imported from neighbouring cultural areas. Best

represented are the brooches and beads, followed by pendants and earrings and

other categories present in one or two graves. A specific peculiarity of women burials inventory are the mirrors, found in

16 graves. Certain graves also comprised harness pieces (bits, hackamores, phalera, appliqués), as well as weaponry (swords, spear spikes and arrows).

Acknowledgement






Coins and pebbles from the Anglo-Georgian excavations at Pichvnari

Michael VICKERS (University of Oxford, Jesus College, United Kingdom)

The Oxford-Batumi Pichvnari expedition was active on the Black Sea

coast of Georgia between 1998 and 2010. Excavation was conducted in

the settlement and in the Colchian and Greek cemeteries that date to the fifth

to third century BC. Apart from the usual grave-goods, pottery and glass for

the most part, there are two regular classes of small finds, one that has been closely

studied, and one that has not. Coins are regularly found at the head

of the deceased, and presumably served in the minds of the bereaved as ―Charon’s

obols‖, or payment for the ferryman across the River Styx. The other class of grave

offering occurs even more frequently in the form of small stones - beach pebbles or

pumice - that had been placed on graves by mourners.

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Aspects of everyday life reflected in the funerary discoveries from Ibida (Slava

Rusă, Tulcea County)

Dan APARASCHIVEI (Institute of Archaeology, Iaşi, Romania), Mihaela IACOB

(Institute of Eco-Museal Research, Tulcea, Romania), Andrei SOFICARU („Fr. I.

Rainer‖ Institute of Anthropology, Bucharest, Romania), Viorica VASILACHE

(―Al. I. Cuza‖ University, Iaşi, Romania)

(in collaboration with Simina Stanc and Radu Pârnău)

The purpose of this undertaking is based on the research carried out on

several tombs within the Late Roman necropolis of Ibida (Slava Rusă, Tulcea

County). We will pursue their typology, but, above all, we will try to reconstruct

some elements of everyday life of the inhabitants of the city. We intend to capture

some aspects of the social status of individuals in the city of Ibida, in 4th-6

th

centuries AD, the fashions of this period, the diet, the diseases and ways to cure

them and others.

Our research team includes several specialists in various fields and

consequently the results of its efforts are very useful for this type of research. The

anthropological analysis carried out on the skeletal remains of the necropolis of

Ibida, the physical-chemical analysis of metal objects from the funerary inventory,

along with the archaeozoological and paleopedology studies can reveal, to a

significant extent, some of the daily life events of local residents.

Acknowledgement






25

Child Burials in Roman Dobrudja. A report of work in progress: The case of

Ibida (Slava Rusă)

Alexander RUBEL (Institute of Archaeology, Iaşi, Romania), Andrei SOFICARU

(„Fr. I. Rainer‖ Institute of Anthropology, Bucharest, Romania)

Child burials are nearly always underrepresented in the cemeteries of the

Roman and other periods. All archaeologists interested in the burial customs of the

ancient world have to confront this salient problem. This paper will present several

explanations for this fact. It will also discuss sociological approaches, and those

from cultural anthropology, while paying special attention to the frequent child

burials inside settlements.

We also meet this situation in Roman Dobrogea, and especially in Slava

Rusă. Here, besides the usual infant burials inside the settlement, we also observe

evidence in amphoras. In the light of this evidence, we seek to shed light on the

sociological background of child burials in this region of the Roman World.

Sépultures d’enfants dans les nécropoles romaines et tardo-romaines en

Dobroudja. Quelques réflexions

Irina Adriana ACHIM (―Vasile Pârvan‖ Institute of Archaeology, Bucharest,

Romania)

La question de la mortalité infantile à l’époque romaine et tardo-romaine

en Dobroudja, telle que l’on peut apercevoir à travers les publications

archéologiques disponibles, a suscitée très faiblement l’intérêt de la communauté

scientifique. Aborder ce sujet, par le biais des instruments d’analyse de

l’archéologue, ce n’est qu’une modeste contribution à la connaissance plus poussée

de la place réservée aux enfants dans l’univers funéraire dominé par les adultes.

La communication portera sur les tombes d’enfants identifiées dans les

nécropoles des villes grecques (Tomis, Callatis, Histria) ou romaines

(Noviodunum, Tropaeum Traiani, Libida) en Dobroudja. L’étude comparée des

nécropoles les mieux connues vise à reconstituer – autant que faire se peut – les

pratiques funéraires spécifiques à cette aire géographique sur deux paliers

chronologiques distincts : l’époque romaine et tardo-romaine.

Un premier volet de cette étude vise à définir le recrutement des nécropoles

et ensuite la répartition spatiale des tombes d’enfant au sein du cimetière comme

forme d’expression de la socialisation des morts en jeune âge). Il faudrait d’abord

distinguer entre les morts périnataux ou nourrissons et les enfants qui ont atteint un

âge supérieur à un an et cela dans les cas quand l’âge a pu être estimé. Après avoir

esquissé une image générale concernant la situation topographique des sépultures,

nous analyserons le rite funéraire, le type de dépôt funéraire (qu’il s’agit d’une

tombe individuelle, double ou multiple), le mobilier qui accompagne ces défunts. Il

26

est alors possible de s’interroger sur la persistance, voir même la non persistance

des usages funéraires concernant les enfants entre l’époque romaine et l’antiquité

tardive, notamment sur le mode d’ensevelissement, domaine dans lequel

l’inhumation s’avère presque exclusive dans le cas des sujets infantiles. Enfin, la

mise en perspective historique des découvertes archéologiques analysées permettra

certaines considérations sur la diversité religieuse de l’espace funéraire, surtout à

l’époque tardo-antique et en particulier à l’épreuve du progrès du christianisme.

Photo: Histria. Nécropole I autour de la basilique extra muros. Tombe n

o 51 durant les

fouilles archéologiques de 1962. (Fouille N. Hampartumian ; cliché N. Hampartumian,

Archive du chantier archéologique Histria, IAB).

Remerciements

Cette recherche a été financée par le Programme Opérationnel Sectoriel pour le





Lexique funéraire antique concernant l'espace carpato-pontique

Roxana CURCĂ (―Al. I. Cuza‖ University, Iaşi, Romania)

Cette étude se propose d’identifier le lexique funéraire utilisé par les

auteurs grecs et latins qui se réfèrent à l’espace carpato-pontique et d’établir, à

partir d’une analyse étymologique, si les lexèmes du vocabulaire funéraire peuvent

constituer de possibles clefs d’interprétation des données archéologiques.

27

Remerciements

Cette recherche a été financée par le Programme Opérationnel Sectoriel pour le





Sacrificial rites or “simply” burials? New approaches in Early Migration Period

spiritual life

Vlad-Andrei LĂZĂRESCU (Institute of Archaeology and Art History, Cluj-

Napoca, Romania)

The study deals with the problem of circular pits with human skeletons

belonging from chronological point of view to the late phase of the C3 and D1

horizons (approximately AD 350-420/430). Our analysis will focus mainly upon

the archaeological feature G27 discovered in the site at Ernei – ―Carieră‖ (Mureş

County), but we will try to interpret this complex in connection to similar ones

documented across Europe. In the actual state of research, the closest analogies

come from Archiud – ―Hânsuri‖ (Bistriţa-Năsăud County), where such circular pits

with human skeletons in the upper part of the fill have been discovered. Following

this pattern of archaeological features we managed to identify that similar close

complexes were discovered on a much wider area starting from northern Europe up

to Transylvania.

The first aim of the study is to establish the chronology of these features

thus revealing the direction in which the influences of such practices expanded. In

the case of Transylvania for example we can observe for the above mentioned

chronological stage a culturally mixed milieu, with features characteristic to the

end of the 4th and the beginning of the 5

th century for this region, in which new

elements linked with the late phase of the Przeworsk culture and especially to the

Dobrodzień-Guttentager horizon are added to the ones from Sântana de Mureş-

Černjachov culture.

The second aim of the study would be to approach this kind of features not

only from the strictly chronological and archaeological point of view but from the

perspective of cultural anthropology, offering in the end several possible

interpretations for such rituals.

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Documents

Homines, Funera, Astra” fileAdina BORONEANŢ (“Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology, Bucharest, Romania), Clive BONSALL (University of Edinburgh, School of History, Classics