Archaeology of burials

Titelthema I Wohin mit den Toten? disch angelegte Grab, dessen Kern eine Kamm r bildet, und da durch einen Dromo betretbar ist. rüfte mit gewölbeoder giebelförmigen Dachkon truktionen teilten in Me opotamien einen der lano-lebigsten Grabtypen dar (Abb. 6). Die fi·ühe ten Beispiele au Ki eh und Ur datieren in da frühe 3. Jt. v. hr., darunter die aufwendigen Anlagen im «Königfriedhof» v n Ur (Abb. 7). Im Drom und der Vorhalle img r rüft fänden sich zahlr ich Per. on n owie Wagen mit Zu tieren. ie cheinen im Rahm n d r Be tattung des Herr eher geopfert worden zu ein -übrigens da einzige Bei piel von M nschen pfern im alten Mesopotamien. E handelte sich offenbar um das efolge des Verstorbenen, da dies m im Jenseits weit r dienen ollte. Die eigentlich ßstattung erfolgt in einer eparaten Kammer, in der neben d n ebein n eine gr ße Zahl von bjekten dep ni rt wurde. Eine Gruft wurde au ver chiedenen M tivationen heraus angelegt: Zum einen be tand häufio-der Wun eh ihrer Wiederverwendung, beispielswei al Familiengruft, zum Abb. 7 nift i111 Kö11(~~fr iedltoj 11011 r a11s der ,\litte des 3. )ts. 11. Cltr. /11 der Vorka111111er.fa11d sielt ci11 c ~fo(f!.scltnfisbesrarfllllg 111ir Bedie11stcte11, ii11,~eri1111C11 1111d OcltseHgespniiiiCII.

hikuin 39, 2012, p. 131-46.
Sorø Monastery's Cemetery for Laymen. The 2006 Archaeological Excavation of tombs outside the north Transept.
Prior to the construction of a new extension on the north side of the church the National Museum excavated 24 square meters. 25 graves were discovered and 15 of them excavated. 9 skeletons were examined at the University of Copenhagen; they turned out to be five men, two women and two children. There were 6 stone coffin-graves made of bricks and roofed with tiles. In one of these brick graves a woman was buried. Dating of the graves was difficult. But at least 8 of the graves are medieval, as brick coffins are commonly dated from late 12th to 14th century and two other graves are older. According to the Cistercian rule monks were buried without coffins and from what we know about the location of the monasteries cemeteries, it was usually the cemetery of the laymen which was located on the north side of the church. One grave without a coffin and older than brick graves was located in a different orientation that all the rest of the graves. Perhaps this is an indication of the location and orientation of the church's predecessor from the abbey's Benedictine times.
It is far from the first time stone coffin-graves have been discovered and excavated in the site of Sorø Monastery. The first record in Antikvarisk-Topografisk Arkiv is from 1826. The stone coffins are made of bricks travertine or fieldstones. The grave of archbishop and founder of the Cistercian convent in Sorø, Absalon (1201) has been opened and examined three times in 1536, 1827 and 1947.

Bárta, M.
2016 "Dummy mummification" in the Old Kingdom: a new intact case from the 5th Dynasty , Abusir. In Rich and Great. Studies in honour of Anthony J. Spalinger on the ocassion of his 70th Feast of Thoth edited by R. Landgráfová and J. Mynářová, pp. 15-17. Czech Institute of Egyptology, Prague.

The study deals with the burial of priest Neferinpu from the 24th century B.C., reign of Nyuserra - Djedkara which was found in Abusir South. His burial demonstrates that at this period dummy mummification was not a rare case. The general characteristics of his burial arrangement shows valuable details pertaining to the symbolism and rituals of the Ancient Egyptians and their perception of the afterlife prerequisites.

This paper reviews the evidence for Neolithic burial practices in SE Arabia, focusing in particular on sites in the Ja'alan region of eastern Oman. Attention is given to the nature of material buried with human remains, including jewellery and, most interestingly, the bones and shells of green turtles in the burials of Ra's al-Hamra 5 and 10. The paper concludes with a discussion of the possible evidence for "necrophobia" at the 5 th millennium BC Neolithic necropolis of Suwayh 1.

2011
Par Benoît Sendra, Bertrand Gourlin et Guy Cockin

Avec les contributions de: Stéphanie Duboscq, Robin Furestier, Lionel Gourichon, Luke Howarth, Vanessa Léa, Alexandra Legrand, Cédric Lepère, Juliette Michel, Jonathan Moquel, Béatrice Prat, Oriane Rousselet, Christian Servelle et Loïc Torchy

Zusammenfassung -Vorgestellt werden die borealzeitlichen Tierund Menschenreste aus dem kleinen "Abri am Galgenberg,, bei Beratzhausen in der Oberpfalz (Bayem), nördlich der Donau gelegen, die zusammen mit frühmesolithischen Stein anefakten geborgen wurden. Autgrund eines AMS-r'C Datums können auch die wenigen Menschenreste (zwei Zähne. drei phalangenj dem Fnihmesolithikum (Frühboreal) zugerechnet werden. Neben von Menschen genutzten Tieren (Rothirsch. Reh, Wildschwein, Biber und Hase), die insgesamt nur durch wenige Reste repräsentiert sind, sind zahlreiche, wohl eher durch natürliche prozesse in die Fundschicht gelangte Tierarten belegt. Die Faunenreste passen sich gut in dje Reihe bisher bekannter frühholozäner Inventare Süddeutschlands ein. Schlüsselwörter -Bayern, Frühmesolithikum, Boreal, Tierund Menschenreste'

THIS IS THE LAST LESSON OF THE COURSE
Archaeology of Death E-learning

Dear Colleagues,
As the Covid-19 safety measures are limiting our communication, please use the following web link to download presentation of the Archaeology of Death course.
https://cuni.academia.edu/JanTurek/Teaching-Documents
Since the lesson 4, that we have already missed I include much more texts and references, so you can use it as e-learning material.
Let’s hope we are going to have chance to catch up with the lectures later the spring term.
Meanwhile stay safe
and
Good luck!

Sincerely
Jan Turek
Center for Theoretical Study

Archaeology of Death

Syllabus by Jan Turek

The lecture provides a basic overview of the theory and methodology of the study of funerary areas, burial contexts and social and symbolic perception of death in prehistoric societies. Through the archaeological evidence of funerary rituals will be presented not only prehistoric people's attitudes toward death and the afterlife but also their culture, social organization, symbolic systems and cosmology. The focus on archaeology of personhood will be targeted mainly on the analysis of age and gender categories. Introductory topics summarize the methodology of field and laboratory research of funerary data in archaeology including application of scientific methods, spatial analysis of burial data and palaeodemography. In the interpretation section of the course an attention is also paid to the social and ritual significance of death and the transformation of human understanding of mortality. We are going to focus on case studies from different periods and locations throughout the world from Palaeolithic to the rise of historical societies. Case studies will further shed light on the social interpretation of burial data and their use in reconstructing social relationships, and will present significant discoveries. The end of the course is devoted to the ethics of the archaeological research of funerary and the political and ethical controversies surrounding human remains. This lecture is designed for audience among archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, and others who have a professional interest in funerary evidence, or general curiosity about past death and burial.

1. Introduction to burial archaeology.
Forms of burial in prehistory, hierarchy of burial sites and monuments.
2. Human understanding of death and the beginnings of funerary practices.
Death and perception of time, regeneration, reincarnation, immortality. The earliest evidence of funerary behaviour. The question of cannibalism.
3. Basics of field methodology of burial contexts and funerary areas.
Survey and excavation methods. Taphonomy, geochemical and geophysical methods.
4. Scientific methods of analysis - Burial contexts and human remains.
Paleoanthropology and Palaeopathology.
4.2 Scientific methods of analysis - Burial contexts and human remains.
Palaeopathology and Paleoparasitology.
5. Population Processes, DNA and Demography
Population processes. Palaeodemography and methods of molecular biology
6. Stable Isotopes & Mobility Studies; Diet reconstruction
Methods used for reconstruction of individual mobility and diet.
7. GIS & Spatial analysis of funerary areas: An Introduction
8. Shamanism and burials in the Palaeolithic period.
9. Burial rites as the source for reconstruction of prehistoric society
Death at the beginning of agriculture. Genealogy, Power, wealth, Cult of Death; Feasting with ancestors.
10. Age and Gender reconstruction
Gender categories, children in pre-industrial societies.
11. Death and monuments in the landscape
Burial sites, burial monuments and settlement structure, What is a ritual landscape?
Death in the living space. Houses of dead – genesis of barrows. Human sacrifices and ancestral worship. Barrows….
12. Archaeology of violence, warfare, disease, magic and sacrifice
13. Mummies; preservation of soft tissue. Body decoration & face reconstruction
Eternity, mumification and natural environment.
14. Ethics of funerary archaeology
Political and ethical treatment issues of human remains and their analysis. Scientific sampling, exhibiting human remains, repatriation and reburial.

Among the different burial customs existing in the necropolis of Orthi Petra, including pyres with tumuli, chamber tombs, rock-cuts, and open-air graves, the use of burying within big pithoi or into smaller vessels is not of secondary relevance. The presence of enchytrismoi is not heterogeneously widespread at the entire excavated area of the necropolis. A vast concentration of pithos burials is located in the North area, lesser at the North-East and increasing to the North-West, where the terracing land slopes. Few others are situated towards South as well. An amount of around fifty enchytrismoi comprises pithoi and other wares in little number. A good quantity is well-preserved, some are in situ not excavated yet and few more are not possible to be properly examined due to their delicate conditions. Moreover, it is worth mentioning the so-called ‘pseudotholos’, an area featured by a series of three pithoi partially sheltered in a rock-cut, oriented East-West and flanked by worked stones at its westernmost side, as a way of access.
This paper examines some preliminary aspects of these burials, as a start of my Ph.D. research, where I try to focus on their typological aspects, aiming at delineating the shapes of the pithoi and other vessels, decorations, production techniques, and eventually, further specific characteristics to determine their classification. Additionally, another objective is to find comparanda within the Cretan island and in the rest of the Greek world.

The identification of deviant burials as those of ‘vampires’ is a feature of excavated skeletons from sites across Eastern, Central and Southern Europe as well as the Balkans. Based on a close reading of historic and folkloric sources researchers have sought to match features of excavated sites with narrative descriptions drawn from vampire legend and myth. This study critically reviews the recent claims based on sites in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Poland and Slovakia. Whilst it is found that there was a widespread belief in vampires across Europe, it is argued that it is difficult to make absolute claims for ‘vampire’ burials on archaeological grounds as in most cases there are alternate and equally compelling interpretations of the data.

KEYWORDS
ARCHAEOLOGY, HISTORY, SIXTEENTH CENTURY, SEVENTEENTH CENTURY, VAMPIRE, DEVIANT BURIAL, PLAGUE, BLACK DEATH, FOLKLORE, PAGAN, BURIAL, WITCH, BALKANS, EASTERN EUROPE, CENTRAL EUROPE, SOUTHERN EUROPE, BULGARIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, POLAND, GREECE, ITALY, SLOVAKIA, LESBOS, VENICE, APOTROPAIC, VAMPIRIDZHIJA, PERPERIKON, SOZOPOL, PROSTEJOV, CELAKOVICE, DRAWSKO, GLIWICI, SOUTHWELL, KILTEASHEEN, LAZZARETTO NUOVO, NACHTZEHRER, KAMIEN POMORSKI

In Haltern am See, an Augustan necropolis, which is without precedent regarding its dating and architectural unity, had been discovered during the years 1982 to 2008. For historical reasons, the construction of the tombs could only have taken place in the short period from approximately 7 to 5 BC until no later than 16 AD. Up to the present day, no other such chronologically defined Augustan cemeteries have become known from the territory of the Empire. The systematic recording of the finds and data, carried out by the department of Classical Archaeology at the University of Trier in cooperation with the LWL-Archaology for Westphalia and supported by the DFG (German Research Foundation), provided results which were not expected when submitting the project proposal. The most important discoveries shall be presented here. The burials and tombs of Haltern follow the tradition of the graves and tombs known from Italic roads of tombs. The Roman tombs in Haltern are part of a characteristic Italic burial culture in the midst of a completely foreign cultural region. A maximum of only 23 years had been dedicated to the construction of the necropolis and the space for the individual tombs was not limited. Nevertheless, it must be stated that we can distinguish between at least three, if not four, different time periods for the construction of the individual graves. The intentional destruction of tombs and superstructures of individual tomb installations is an indication for this. It will probably only be possible to attribute these findings to historical reasons which are related to the Augustan German Wars. Numerous finds of used weapons and weapon parts which had been found in the excavation area and which did not originate from the tombs seem to prove it. The examination of all the cremation remains shows that this necropolis was indeed not exclusively a military cemetery, but women and children, i.e. civilian individuals, had also been buried here. The burial objects of the individual funerals are not as significant as to be able to suggest the gender of the entombed corpse. However, it seems to be the case that remains of Roman dining sofas (klinai) are only found in masculine tombs. In total, approximately 30 different types of couches can be identified from the find material, out of which about 15 sofas can be assigned to individual burials. These dining sofas are pieces of the everyday used furniture on which the dead were burned. This custom could be observed above all in central Italy and in the southern Gaul during the Augustan time. The space that was needed for such a piece of furniture was so large that this exceeded the possibilities of a " simple " legionary by far. Thus, it is likely that the owners might have belonged to the better-off category of Romans in Haltern. These results require further considerations about the real role and meaning of the Roman sites in Haltern in conjunction with Augustus' German Wars. The relicts of the aforementioned couches are bone carvings with burn marks of a greater or lesser degree. Mostly, only a few pieces of these could be rescued from the burials. Yet, from one of the graves much more than 60 % of the bone carvings were retrieved. In order to obtain a clear impression of the furniture item of Haltern, the LWL-Archeology for Westphalia in cooperation with the University of Trier, department of Classical Archaeology, decided to

The late Antique mosaic of Orpheus decorated a small room, approximately 18 m2 in area, connected with two even smaller ones, in 4 m2 and the other 2 m2 in area, belonging most likely to a small funerary chapel (or tomb) discovered in the ancient necropolis by the Damascene Gate in Jerusalem; it was discovered in 1901 by H. Vincent.
The author proposes a new interpretation of the iconographic program of the Orpheus myth used by wealthy Christians in a sepulchral context (see Olszewski M.T. «Orphée endeuillé de la mosaïque funéraire de Jérusalem», in Rey Mimoso-Ruiz, B. ed., Actes du colloque «Orphée entre Soleil et ombre», à l’Institut Catholique de Toulouse du 16 au 17 novembre 2007, Inter Lignes, numéros spécial – mars 2008, pp. 205-214, 226). He also proposes a new interpretation of the role Orpheus played in Roman funerary art, concentrating on the importance of the play on words and the visual and textual punning that was popular in ancient art and especially in funerary art. He rejects the popular interpretation of Orpheus as Christ in the Roman catacombs and proposes to interpret the image as that of Orpheus, bard of the departed souls, without any ahistorical connection with Christ. The program of the mosaic from Jerusalem is thus explained as a play on the words Orpheus-orphanos and Chiron (Chi-Rho) and Pan [Παν(τοκράτωρ)].The frequently used Christian funerary formula of resting in peace, Christ or the Lord corresponds
perfectly with the mood created around the mythical bard.
Orpheus’ universal role as singer and musician moving even the most stony of hearts, extolling the beloved departed, is absolutely justified in the context of a 6th-century Christian tomb. Orpheus is a popular and neutral figure, meaning that in effect it does not constitute a threat to Christian theology and can be tolerated by the educated Christians of Jerusalem.

Greek death-cult in an attempt to clarify certain contemporary political phenomena in the Mediterranean area. The cult of the dead is a common cultural pattern in the area. Why is this cult so persistent? What is death-cult and how does it manifest itself? The article delves into its lasting importance in the Greek part of the cultural area, where the author has conducted several fieldworks. To illustrate the persistence of this cultural pattern, the characteristic aspects connected with death-cult in Greek tradition are discussed: The comparison is based on festivals, which are dedicated to deceased persons and domestic death-rituals combined with ancient sources. Based on them an analytical survey of the relationship between the death-cult dedicated to deceased mediators in ancient and modern society, as it is manifested through laments, burials and the following memorial rituals is made. The modern domestic rituals people perform for their own dead influence the official ideological rituals, and vice versa, the domestic rituals reflect public performances. A study of modern cult practices reveals many parallels with the official cult of the ancients, and suggests ways in which modern rituals can throw new light upon the ancient rituals and vice versa. The article seeks to demonstrate how new ideologies must adjust to older rituals and beliefs and how public and domestic rituals are connected. The article finally suggests how these similarities might represent a common way of expression within a larger context in which the Mediterranean cultural meaning of emotion is central.

İlk tunc dövründə Şimali Azərbaycanın şimal-qərbində, Kiçik Qafqaz sıra dağlarının şərq ətəyi boyunca quruluşca kamerası və dəfn ənənəsi ideyası özünəməxsus olan kurqanlar — Daşlıtəpə (Qəbələ), Daşlıtəpə (Daşkəsən), Borsunlu (Tərtər), Daşüz (Şəki), Gəncə, Göygöl (Xanlar), Xankəndi, Osmanbozu (Şəmkir), Menteştəpə, Uzunrəmə və Şadılı — qeyd edilmişdir (Şəkil 1).  Kür-Araz mədəniyyətinin erkən mərhələsi dövründə mövсud olmuş bu tip kurqanlar “kurqanaltı sərdabələr” kimi elmi dövriyyə daxil olub. Kurqanları birləşdirən əsas əlamət — kurqan örtüyü altında planda düzbucaqlı və ya dairəvi formalı, kollektiv dəfnli kamera-sərdabənın olmasıdır. Tədqiqatçı T.Axundov [20] tərəfindən bu tip  qəbir abidələrinin müxtəlif aspektlər üzrə təsnifatı aparılmışdır. Amma bununla yanaşı uzun müddət belə hesab edilmişdir ki, kurqanaltı sərdabələr İlk tuncun son mərhələsindən Orta tunc dövrünə keçiddə mövcud olmuşdur. Bu tip kurqanlardan XXI əsrin ikinci onilliyinin əvvəllərində aşkar və tədqiq edilmiş yalnız üçünün (Menteştəpə, Şadılı və Uzunrəmə) radiokarbon tarixləri məlumdur. Bu üç kurqanaltı sərdabədən olan radiokarbon tarixlər artıq bu tip kurqanların tarixlənməsi barədə mövcud fikirləri inkar etdi. Həmçinin, e.ə. IV minilliyin II yarısına, yəni, İlk tunc dövrünün əvvəllərinə aid bu tip kurqanları birləşdirən xüsusiyyətlər eyni zamanda onları Kür-Araz mədəniyyəti üçün xarakterik xüsusiyyətlərdən kəskin fərqləndirir.

The largest city necropolis of Naissus in the period of Late Antiquity was formed east of the fortress, along the road to Ratiaria. Since it is located in today’s city quarter of Jagodin Mala, it became known by that name in the literature. In Late Antiquity, this area had been used intensively for burials, from the end of the 4th century to the 6th or beginning of the 7th century.

During the systematic exploration of this area, five church edifices, a crypt (martyrium?), over 65 brick lined tombs, a large number of brick lined graves and around 300 graves of the deceased, interred in the ground, have been identified. Between the tombs and in the free spaces, the deceased were buried in simple grave holes or in wooden coffins. The area has revealed different types of sepulchral structures, building methods, and materials that were used, as well as the funeral practices of the inhabitants of Naissus in Late Antiquity, during Early Christianity. The wealth of grave goods and inventory suggests that the population lived in a time of social and economic prosperity.

Les fouilles extensives menées dans l’aire maya ont mis au jour tout un ensemble de dépôts rituels associés aux édifices. Cette connexion entre dépôts et architecture est soulignée par le caractère intentionnel de leur placement au sein des structures. L’Acropole Nord de Tikal a révélé de nombreuses étapes de construction et dépôts rituels depuis le Préclassique moyen (800 av. J.-C.), jusqu’au Classique terminal (950 apr. J.-C.). La succession d’offrandes dans l’espace comme dans le temps peut donc être lue sous la forme d’une séquence.
Une relecture des anciennes fouilles conduites de 1958 à 1966 par le Projet Tikal sous la direction de W. Coe, a permis d’établir un corpus de 298 dépôts rituels et 125 traces de feux. Après une superposition des séquences architecturales et de déposition, les offrandes sont caractérisées en fonction de leur position stratigraphique (période de construction, d’occupation et d’abandon). Regroupées en « assemblages d’offrandes », elles sont ensuite observées selon des critères spatiaux, typologiques et statistiques.
Les autres catégories de dépôts, feux et sépultures, sont également analysées en regard de l’histoire architecturale. Enfin, ces témoins rituels sont interrogés sur une base plus émique, à la recherche d’indices concernant le sens que leurs accordaient les Mayas. En définitive, certains types d’offrandes récurrentes et de feux rituels font certainement partie de cérémonies liées au bâti, lors de l’inauguration puis de l’occupation d’un espace ou dans un but apotropaïque. D’autres ont probablement une agentivité propre, peut-être comme média vers l’inframonde, ou portent des pétitions différentes aux entités non-humaines.

Příspěvek přináší souhrn dosavadního poznání pohřbívání v Praze v 11. až 1.  polovině 13. století tj. v období rozvoje protoměstské/předlokační aglomerace před konstituování právních vrcholně středověkých měst (Starého Města pražského a Malé Strany). Na základě archeologických pramenů bylo možné do přehledu zařadit  celkem 41 lokalit včetně dosud nepublikovaných pohřebišť u několika zaniklých raně středověkých kostelů. Kromě hřbitovů u sakrálních staveb jsou v nastíněném přehledu popsány i funerální areály, u kterých žádnou sakrální stavbu neznáme, tzv. nekostelní pohřebiště. Díky radiouhlíkovým analýzám se podařilo u několika nekropolí zpřesnit jejich datování. Stav poznání je nepříznivě ovlivněn torzovitým dochováním pohřebních areálů a obtížným datováním některých hrobových nálezů. Významným indikátorem staršího vývoje na mnoha lokalitách jsou četné nálezy hrobů narušených románskými konstrukcemi raně středověkých kostelů.

THE NECROPOLIS OF HELLENISTIC MARESHA, JUDEAN FOOTHILLS, ISRAEL
AMOS KLONER, NILI GRAICER AND BOAZ ZISSU

The ancient city of Maresha is identified with Tell Sandahannah, situated in the Judean Foothills, about 40 km southwest of Jerusalem. During the Hellenistic period Maresha flourished and became an important city.
The archaeological site consists of a Tell - the Upper City (=UC), a Lower City (LC) and a Subterranean City (=SC). A vast necropolis forms a ring surrounding the LC and includes three main cemeteries (Northern, Eastern and South-Western). The exploration of the necropolis started in 1873 and has continued up until the present day.
The cemeteries consist of more than 40 rock-cut burial chambers or hypogea. A typical hypogeum includes an elongated rectangular hall into whose walls loculi (burial niches) featuring typical gabled openings; sometimes additional chambers were cut, forming a burial complex. The loculi were used for primary and secondary burials.
Two of the tombs [nos. 1 (551) and 2 (552)], discovered in 1902, had outstanding wall paintings dating from the 3rd century BCE. The paintings are characterized by a mixture of sepulchral motifs, mostly of Greek or Alexandrian origin. The animal frieze painted in Tomb 1 (551, The "Sidonian Community Tomb") is a unique document of its kind in the Hellenistic world. Renewed explorations of Tomb 2 (552) exposed a neighboring burial chamber (560) hewn initially in the Hellenistic period and reused in the Roman period.
The Hellenistic period hypogea of Maresha were long-term family sepulchres – cut in the soft chalk for the burial of the city residents along several generations. The tombs served this purpose throughout the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE, until the destruction of the city by the Hasmoneans, c. 111 BCE. Some of the tombs, located in the Northern and Eastern necropoleis were reused in the Roman period.
The architectural plans of the hypogea probably reached Maresha from elsewhere in the Hellenistic world. The hypogea resemble the architectural and artistic style of Ptolemaic period's tombs (mostly from the 3rd century BCE) in the Shatbi necropolis of Alexandria in Egypt.
The epigraphic evidence reflects the multi-ethnic composition of the city, combining Idumaeans, Phoenicians, Greeks, some Egyptians and possibly a few Judeans. These ethnic elements produced the outstanding social and cultural fabric of the city during the Hellenistic period.
The article presents and discusses the architecture of the rock-cut burial chambers in light of similar hypogea known from the Hellenistic world, the spatial distribution of the tombs, the outstanding wall paintings and their parallels, some objects found in the tombs and some significant inscriptions.

A “frying pan” of some interest, since it depicts a longboat, (Syros Museum 1163)  was found in a rescue excavation conducted under the direction of the author in the Roussos field at Chalandriani in Syros in 2002-2008. The field lies in the West Sector of the Early Cycladic Chalandriani cemetery . The excavation revealed 28 undisturbed graves of the corbelled type with grave goods more or less similar to those from Tsountas’s excavations, and distinguished by their variety and wealth. The new find (from Grave VII), besides enlarging the corpus of known depictions of longboats on ‘frying pans’, provides an opportunity, because of its well-documented contexts, to understand better certain aspects of these intriguing objects and the EBA II Chalandriani society they reflect.

"The megalithic tomb at Montelirio is off the scale in more ways than one. As well as being the largest example of its type known in Spain, the burial goods secreted in its subterranean chambers are unsurpassed in both quantity and quality. Leonardo García Sanjuán reveals what the dead of Montelirio can tell us about Copper Age society."

"Representations", N. 129, Winter 2015.

The essay analyzes the project of maintaining the body of V. I. Lenin in the Mausoleum in Moscow for the past ninety years, focusing on the unique biological science that developed around this project, and the unexpected political role this body has performed.

Hedeby var i det 8. og 10. århundrede Skandinaviens største handelscenter. Byen var geografisk, strategisk placeret i den nordligste del af Slesvig i bunden af den snoede kanal, Slien. Det var en handelsby influeret af verdensomspaendte handelsforbindelser og et krydskulturelt socialt miljø. En by, hvor der ikke alene blev engageret i handel, men også med udveksling af ideer og tanker. Givet byens bemaerkelsesvaerdige aktivitet har stedet vaeret af arkaeologisk interesse siden 1812. Siden da er der blevet foretaget et vaeld af arkaeologiske udgravninger i Hedeby hvoraf den seneste blev foretaget i 2017. Med de arkaeologiske rigdomme, vikingetidsbyen rummer, er der belaeg for at undersøge de sociale strukturer, de levendes miljø samt den materielle kultur som forbinder levende og døde.

L’estudi del comportament de la noblesa catalana a
l’entorn de la guerra de Successió encara és una tasca
pendent. Sabem moltes coses dels caps més rellevants
del braç militar, però desconeixem les estratègies de la
petita i mitjana noblesa per sobreviure al conflicte. No
sabem com es van anar adaptant a la nova situació i
desconeixem com van jugar les dues cartes quan els va
convenir i, en definitiva, no sabem com s’ho van fer per
surar o enfonsar-se enmig de la baralla.

Aquest treball pretén mostrar la història d’un d’aquests
nobles, el baró de Cervelló. No es tracta, certament, d’un
personatge destacat en el conflicte; és més aviat un noble
que segurament no sabia massa bé quin bàndol triar; les
circumstàncies el van acostar al camp austriacista, hom
sospita que sense massa conviccions, però la mort el va
alliberar de veure el resultat de l’elecció. La casualitat ha fet que, quasi tres segles després, en desenterrem la seva història.

"This special issue of "Patrimonio Histórico" (Historical Heritage), the bulletin of the Andalusian Historical Heritage Institute, brings together a series of contributions aimed at disseminating the concept of megalithic heritage among cultural and historical heritage specialists. It provides a general overview of the basic themes involved in today's research of the megalithic phenomenon (section "ideas, theories, problems"), the main methodological innovations the field has experienced in recent years ("sciences, methods"), the public perceptions involved ("perceptions") as well as a series of major megalithic sites of southern Iberia ("sites, interventions, management")."

(222 plates of illustrations will be in special file. The pages' numeration is special for each big chapter. For real book numeration move the cursor to the right border of each pages / 222 таблицы иллюстраций будут в специальном файле. Нумерация по техническим причинам – отдельная для каждого большого раздела. Подлинную нумерацию стрнице в книге можно выяснить, подведя курсор к правой границе каждой страницы).
ABSTRACT:
In this book, you will find a complex research of the clothes of Iranian-speaking peoples beginning from their appearance in the world politics and in the written sources of the 7th–6th cc. BC and up to the Islamization of Iran and Transoxiana in the 7th–8th cc. AD. The accessories of the costume (except belts), the military costume, the rulers’ crowns and the costume materials themselves are not the subject matter of the text; but the hairstyle and sometimes tattoos are being under consideration. The first three chapters are devoted to analysis of the main periods of pre-Islamic history of the Iranian world (the time bounds being different for different regions): [1] the Achaemenid-Scythian time (the 7th–6th cc. BC — 4th–3rd cc. BC, for Transoxiana—up to the mid. of the 2nd cc. BC); [2] the Parthian-Sarmatian time (the 4th/3rd cc. BC — the 3rd/4th cc. AD); [3] the Sassanid and Early Medieval time (the 3/4th — the 7/8th cc. AD). The sections of these chapters deal with materials on the 13 peoples: (1) the Persians of the Achaemenian time; (2) the Early Scythians; (3) the Scythians of the “classic” period (the 5th–4th cc. BC); (4) the “Pazyrykians” of the Altai; (5) the Chorasmians (for all the 3 periods); (6) the Parnes—Parthians of Iran; (7) the Sarmatians and Early Alans; (8) the Yuech-chihs / Kushans of Bactria; (9) the Sogdians (the 2nd and 3rd periods); (10) the Indo-Scythians of Gandhara; 11) the Persians of the Sassanid time; (12) the Khotano-Sakas of Southern Xinjiang (the 2nd and 3rd periods); (13) the Tokharistanians (with other ethnic elements). As far as each of the above-mentioned peoples is concerned the above-stated ideas are analyzed and new materials (including unpublished ones) are taken into account, the details of many depictions are defined and the data on peoples are generalized for the first time. First of all, we have studied the costume of these 13 peoples, which gives the most abundant and many-sided information on the costume as clothes in real life are a mass phenomenon and can be studied productively and correctly only in big series (in case of single depictions rare costume elements and the looks of gods of foreign origin are mistakenly taken for typical ones).
The main tasks of the book are: 1. The reconstruction of the look of the ethnic clothing complex for each of the above-mentioned peoples: the silhouette, the cut (the information about the latter is limited) and the decorative prin-ciples, the last task being the most labour-intensive. The results allow of a reliable attribution of many artifacts from museums and private collections. 2. Eliciting the aesthetical ideal of different ethnic groups reflected in the costume; the analysis of the depictions of supposed representatives of a certain people in the art of other countries for defining the degree of the authenticity in the costume depiction and its representativeness for this ethnic group. 3. The comparative analysis of the costume of each separately taken synchronous people in each of the three main historical epochs; the analysis of the costume of each ethnic group in different periods for defining the character of the costume evolution and heredity. 4. The retrospective eliciting of the look of the original costume of the most ancient Iranians and the “costume” traces of the Iranian penetration to the west of Iran. 5. Eliciting the type of the costume contacts of ancient Iranian-speaking peoples and the difference in their importance. 6. The analysis of the summarized data on the least studied significant functions of the costume aiming at eliciting the specificity of the Iranian world and some of its peoples.
We suggest a complex approach including following elements: (1) dealing with all kinds of sources alongside ob-serving the most possible scope of facts on each studied people (in case of a technical impossibility, the representative statistic excerpts are studied); (2) the proper selection of the costume décor remnants from burials under analysis (only the accounts and publications of high quality are used) excluding significantly fragmented and stylized depictions and, for some regions, images of gods; (3) the analysis of the material according to the linguistic and ethnic principles—not a regional one (which is not typical for modern research on the costume history); (4) considering all the main costume attributes of the ethnic group as a single costume complex that reflects the specificity of the people; 5) the description of the costume of each ethnic group according to the common program in chapters 1–3; (6) considering ethnic complexes against the background of the synchronous neighbouring ones and both earlier and later ones up to their successors in the 19th–20th cc. AD (otherwise the rightfulness of most conclusions is difficult to guarantee); (7) the analysis of costume evolution of separate ethnic groups under the influence of different factors; (8) compiling a special summary tables on the costume of each people (each drawing in them not being an exact copy of a definite depiction, but given in the most appropriate foreshortening without unnecessary details interfering with perception).
MORE INFORMATION: 2nd Internet ed., Moscow: X-lab, 2011: http://www.narodko.ru/article/yatsenko/eurazia/ .

CONTENTS:
PREFACE 5
CHAPTER 1. The Achaemenian-Scythian time (7th/6th cc. — 4th/3rd cc. BC) 29
1.1. The Persians 29
1.2. The European Scythians 47
1.3. The Pazyryk culture of the Altai Mountains 83
1.4. The Khorasmians 102
The main conclusions 106
CHAPTER 2. The Parthian-Sarmatian time (3rd cc. BC — 3rd/4th cc. AD) 112
2.1. Parthian Iran 113
2.2. The Sarmatians, the Early Alans and the “Late Scythians” 131
2.3. The Yuech-chihs/Kushans 170
2.4. The Khorasmians 187
2.5. The Indo-Scythians 192
2.6. The Sogdians 197
2.7. The Khotano-Sakas 201
The main conclusions 207
CHAPTER 3. The Sasanian and Early Medieval (Pre-Islamic) time (3rd/4th–7th/8th cc. AD) 212
3.1. Sasanian Iran 213
3.2. The Sogdians 231
3.3. Tokharistan and the neighboring regions to the South 247
3.4. The Khorasmians 262
3.4. The Khotano-Sakas 266
The main conclusions 274
CHAPTER 4. The mechanisms of the costume contacts and
the ways of evolution of the costume of ancient Iranians.
The symbolism of costume 279
4.1. The mechanisms of the costume contacts 280
4.2. The ways of evolution of the costume of various peoples 314
4.3. The sign functions of the costume 322
The main conclusions 362
CONCLUSION 364
APPENDIX. The suggestions on the methods of fixation and description of the costume relics
in burial complexes 367
Glossary 370
BIBLIOGRAPHY 371
Abbreviations 416
List of Iluustrations (in English)          418
List of illustrations (in Russian) 423
Illustrations 435-657
Summary                    658
Contents                      663

Im Folgenden sollen exemplarisch einige Befunde älter-bis spätmittelalterlicher Bestattungen in und um aus den Regierungsbezirken Dberbayem, Niederbayern und Dberpfalz betrachtet werden. Dabei können und sollen im Rahmen dieses Beitrages nicht nur -dem Schwerpunktthema des Treffens entsprechend -forschungsgeschichtliche Fragen behandelt werden, zumal die wenigen verwertbaren Nachrichten über ergrabene Befunde von älter-bis spätmittelalterlichen Bestattungen in und bei Kirchen ohnehin erst ab Ende der 1960er Jahre zunehmen. Wurden beigabenlose Bestattungen des 9. bis 15. Jahrhunderts dokumentiert, so geschah dies häufig als "schmückendes Beiwerk", das bestenfalls im Grabungsbericht erwähnt wird. Bemerkenswert ist hier vor allem der Umstand, dass die fraglichen Bestattungen noch heute nicht selten nach der -wenn überhaupt erfolgten -zeichnerischen Dokumentation herausgenommen und ohne eine anthropologische Untersuchung in einer tiefen Grube quasi "im Massengrab" wiederbestattet werden -ein Vorgehen, das im Regelfall mit dem angeblichen (de facto nicht vorhandenen!) Desinteresse der Anthropologie an derartigem Material begründet wird. Das dadurch weitgehende Fehlen von anthropologischen Untersuchungen wirkt sich jedoch gerade auf die archäologische Beurteilbarkeit beigabenloser Bestattungen aus -sind die archäologischen Fragestellungen an dieses Material doch in den meisten Fällen nur durch den anthropologischen Befund zu beantworten.

This article deals with engravings depicting sometimes life-sized Bronze Age metal objects from “closed” burial contexts and “open-air” sites in northern Europe. These rock art images have mainly been used for comparative dating with the purpose of establishing rock art chronologies, or interpreted as a poor man’s” substitute for real objects that were sacrificed to immaterial gods and goddesses. In this article, these rock art images are pictured from a perspective that highlights the mutual cultural biography of humans and objects. It is argued that the rare engravings of bronze objects at scale 1:1 are best explained as famous animated objects that could act as secondary agents, which sometimes allowed them to be depicted and remembered. Moreover, two different social settings are distinguished for such memory practice: maritime nodes or third spaces where Bronze Age Argonauts met before, during or after their journeys, e.g. places where novel technological and/or famous objects entered and re-entered the social realms, and burial contexts where animated objects sometimes was buried at the end of their life-course.

Keywords: Rock art, animated objects, cultural
biographies of objects, Bronze Age, burial practice,
northern Europe.

Trench arch drainage systems have been used in rural churches as a possible solution for churches wishing to install lavatory and kitchen facilities where suitable mains drainage does not exist.

This desk-based study project explores the degree to which these systems may pose risks to buried archaeological remains in churchyards.

The report provides an estimate of the number of these systems installed in churches and reviews the potential risks posed to buried ecclesiastical structures, human remains and other funerary archaeological evidence. It makes suggestions about how currently unknown risks can be reduced (for example relating to the use of particular cleaning products, and siting of these system), and proposes further research to help minimise these risks in the future. A forward to the report summarises current Historic England recommendations on the installation of new trench arch drainage systems.

Historic England commissioned Oxford Archaeology South to carry out this research.

This paper is free to download below, or by following the above link to the Historic England website.

The megalithic phenomenon is one of the most exciting subjects of study in prehistory. The practice of monumentalising places of special significance by erecting large stones started during the Neolithic period, approximately 10.000 years ago. On time, it acquired such a social and ideological depth that it became one of the most geographically and temporally widespread cultural phenomena ever known in Europe. In Andalusia,  megalithic sites and landscapes express themselves with great richness and diversity, representing an exceptional source of scientific information for our understanding of our forebears’ ways of life, as well as a unique and beautiful historical legacy. This book combines the contributions of various university professors, who bring us up to date with their research, with excellent photographic illustrations and, for the first time, reflects the spread of this cultural phenomenon throughout Andalusia. It is suitable for both those who wish to deepen their knowledge of this professional specialisation and those who seek the pleasure of a satisfied interest.

With financial support from the German Research Foundation (DFG) Bonn and the Association for the Advancement of the State Museum of Prehistory Halle e.V.  archaeologists, physical anthropologists and archaeozoologists met for the first time for an international and interdisciplinary conference from 18th to 21st September 2013 to discuss all aspects of "Mesolithic burials - Rites, symbols and social organisation of early postglacial communities".  This introductory paper of the congress proceedings is trying to summarise the large variety of Mesolithic burial rites in Europe.

English abstract: Since the discovery in 1860 of La Pastora, one of the most beautiful and outstanding megalithic constructions of Iberia, the Copper Age and Bronze Age site of Valencina de la Concepción – Castilleja de Guzmán has provided an unceasing series of archaeological finds of the utmost significance. Today, a hundred and fifty years after the earliest discoveries, this volume offers an up-to-date and comprehensive review of the research carried out at this site, which underlines, first and foremost, its importance as a scientific and cultural resource. Among the contributions to this volume the reader will find some of the keys to the human occupation of the lower Guadalquivir basin 5000 years ago, the process of social aggregation that gave way to the formation of the city of Seville itself. In addition, this book reflects some of the current discussions that dominate today’s scientific agenda on Iberian Copper Age (c. 3200-2200 cal BC), a period of fascinating social and cultural dynamism that laid the basis for the consolidation of social ranking, long-distance contact and exchange, as well as metallurgy and productive specialization.

Spanish abstract: Desde que en 1860 se produjera el descubrimiento de La Pastora, una de las construcciones megalíticas más bellas y singulares de España, el yacimiento de la Edad del Cobre y de la Edad del Bronce de Valencina de la Concepción – Castilleja de Guzmán no ha cesado de deparar hallazgos arqueológicos de la mayor significación. Hoy, 150 años después de los primeros descubrimientos, este volumen ofrece una puesta al día de las investigaciones que están revelando la extraordinaria importancia de este yacimiento como recurso científico y patrimonial. Entre las colaboraciones de esta obra el lector encontrará algunas de las claves de la ocupación de la desembocadura del río Guadalquivir hace 5000 años: el proceso de agregación humana que representa el origen de la misma ciudad de Sevilla. Igualmente, en las páginas de este libro encuentra reflejo el debate que en la actualidad preside el estudio de la Edad del Cobre (c. 3200-2200 antes de nuestra era), un periodo de apasionante dinamismo social y cultural en el que se consolidaron las bases de la jerarquización social, las relaciones comerciales a larga distancia, la metalurgia y la especialización productiva.