Abstract
Early Bronze Age and early medieval inhumation graves in (central) Europe had often been re-opened a short time after burial and, in most cases, grave goods were removed. To improve the understanding of the archaeological evidence of these graves, one re-opened grave from a large early Bronze Age (Wieselburg/Gáta culture) cemetery in Weiden am See, eastern Austria, was excavated using a microstratigraphic protocol to maximize data collection for the reconstruction of the context formation process and, consequently, the interpretation of the re-opening process. In this article the results of the soil thin section analyses are presented and discussed.
Highlights
To improve our understanding of formation processes of reopened graves and to create a reference for future analyses, a reopened inhumation grave at the early Bronze Age cemetery of Weiden am See, eastern Austria, was excavated and examined using a microstratigraphic approach
This paper aims to examine how micromorphology can contribute to reconstruct the formation process and to answer the following research questions that are typically asked for reopened graves with specific reference to key questions pertaining to the buried human remains (Table 1): 1. What was the original appearance of the grave before the reopening?
Soil micromorphology has been demonstrated to be instrumental in interpreting the complex taphonomy of this reopened grave, and has an important role to play in future research in this area to add to the growing body of micromorphological research on graves (Kutterer et al, 2014a, 2014b; Lang, 2014; Usai et al, 2014; Macphail et al, 2013; Sandgathe et al, 2011; Huckleberry et al, 2003)
Summary
To improve our understanding of formation processes of reopened graves and to create a reference for future analyses, a reopened inhumation grave at the early Bronze Age cemetery of Weiden am See, eastern Austria, was excavated and examined using a microstratigraphic approach. This paper will focus on the micromorphology results, as this analysis provides the crucial microstratigraphic framework for interpreting the depositional sequence and formation processes within the grave, and is the basis for which the results of other proxies can be integrated. The position of the finds and skeleton attest to reopening that usually took place not long after burial; there is evidence that bodies were not fully decomposed when this reopening occurred and hollow spaces permitted movement within the graves (Neugebauer, 1988)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
