Human burials and funeral rite of the Linear Pottery Culture from Poland area

Agnieszka Czekaj-Zastawny

doi:10.23858/sa/73.2021.1.2598

Abstract

Human burials of the Linear Pottery culture in Poland are not common. The recent discovery in Modlniczka of the first – and thus far the only – LBK cemetery in Poland was therefore a significant one. Presently, there are only 17 other known sites with burials. Thirteen sites are in south-eastern Poland, four in Kuyavia, and one in the Odra River valley. In comparison with other burial sites in Central and Western Europe, the graves of the LBK in Poland do not provide many clues about the funerary customs of this culture. Their small number and the very limited proportion of preserved human remains make it impossible to perform many types of analyses. However, despite the small amount of evidence, we can observe general patterns, which are typical of the entire European LBK – in terms of both settlements and burials.

Highlights

Known burials of the Linear Pottery culture (LBK) in Poland are not common
Despite the small amount of evidence, we can see that Polish finds are typical of the entire European LBK in every analysed element
In common with the settlements, the graves of the Linear Pottery culture from Poland fit with the general model of the funeral rite of the LBK. This is visible in all elements of the funerary rite, such as the context, the location, the construction of the grave, and the grave goods

Summary

Introduction

Known burials of the Linear Pottery culture (LBK) in Poland are not common. 7 – Szczotkowice, 8 – Targowisko, 9 – Bejce, – Giebułtów, – Gródek, – Igołomia-Zofipole, – Złotniki, – Brześć Kujawski, – Ludwinowo, – Miechowice, – Stary Zamek, – Kruszyn (Czekaj-Zastawny 2009b). In common with the settlements, the graves of the Linear Pottery culture from Poland fit with the general model of the funeral rite of the LBK. This is visible in all elements of the funerary rite, such as the context, the location, the construction of the grave, and the grave goods. From the area of the Polish Lowland, within the region of Kujawy, 4 sites have revealed graves, all of which were located in the close vicinity of houses: Brześć Kujawski, Ludwinowo 7, Miechowice, and Kruszyn (Grygiel 2004; Czerniak and Kabaciński 2004; Pyzel 2019)

The first LBK cemetery in Poland

Patterns of burials location in LBK

Construction and orientation of the grave pit in the LBK

Grave goods and treatment of the deceased in LBK

Findings

General chronology of LBK burials in Poland area