Abstract
The flotation of deposits from two recently excavated Kalenderberg Group cremation graves in DevínZáhrady (SW Slovakia) yielded a plethora of archaeozoological and archaeobotanical remains, including small, otherwise overlooked, ecofacts. The results of our analysis in the context of contemporary data show that animals clearly constituted an unambiguous part of funerary ritual activities. Pig, fish, red deer, cattle and caprines were all exploited at Devín-Záhrady. These animals represented both food and symbolic offerings, with a preference for pig and fish. Cattle, red deer, pig and caprines astragali found in grave 2 were all associated with one of the urns. The age of perinatal piglets was used to indicate the season when the funerals took place. Plant macro-remains are much less common than bone remains and are not associated with the burial. The results of the analysis change what is known about the array, quantity and way animal and plant offerings from Kalenderberg Group cremation graves were prepared for the burial ritual. Their study also permitted residual and intrusive materials to be detected, allowed reconstruction of the deposit’s formation processes and establishment of the connections (or absence of connections) between these ecofacts to the funeral and/or burial ritual.
Highlights
The Kalenderberg Group was part of the Eastern Hallstatt Culture or Northeastern Alpine Hallstatt region
The results of the analysis change what is known about the array, quantity and way animal and plant offerings from Kalenderberg Group cremation graves were prepared for the burial ritual
It formed in eastern Austria (Lower Austria, Burgenland), the westernmost part of western Hungary (Lake Neusiedl area), and the western part of southwestern Slovakia, developing out of the local Late Bronze Age Urnfield Culture
Summary
The Kalenderberg Group (for review see Nebelsick, 1997) was part of the Eastern Hallstatt Culture or Northeastern Alpine Hallstatt region. It formed in eastern Austria (Lower Austria, Burgenland), the westernmost part of western Hungary (Lake Neusiedl area), and the western part of southwestern Slovakia, developing out of the local Late Bronze Age Urnfield Culture. The systematic sampling of deposits and flotation as a means of extracting organic remains (including seeds, charcoal, small vertebrate bones, fish remains, mollusc shells, insects etc.) still rarely takes place and/or the research results are not published. As our intention was to improve understanding of the role and meaning of animals and plants in cremation burial rituals in this period and region, the results are presented against the backdrop of previous studies from the region of the Kalenderberg
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