Made of flint, bone and boar’s tusks – burial goods from male grave No. 2 in Świerszczów (Kolonia) 28, Hrubieszów District – attributed to the Malice culture – in the light of traceological analysis

Abstract

The article presents the results of a traceological analysis conducted on artefacts made of bone, boar’s tusks and flint – the only funerary goods discovered in Grave No. 2 at Świerszczów (Kolonia) Site 28, in which an adult male was buried. Despite the lack of pottery vessels that could indicate cultural affiliation, the grave is attributed to the Rzeszów phase of the Malice culture, i.e., the final, Eneolithic, stage of that culture. This attribution is based on 14C dating and on the presence in the grave of artefacts made of boar’s tusks and flint burins. Microscopic analysis conducted on the discovered artefacts revealed traces related to their production, use and repair on their surfaces. Most items bear traces indicating their usage in processing soft materials, like siliceous (wild and domesticated) plants and hide. Interestingly, the artefacts with holes for hanging – traditionally regarded as adornments in archaeological literature – were also employed in different activities.