Oldest Jewish Cemetery in Prostějov (Czechia) in the View of Archaeological Research

Abstract

Graves excavated during the rescue archaeological research of Hlaváčkovo square/Šerhovní street in Prostějov (Czechia) in 1998 can be linked to the presumed oldest Jewish cemetery owing to the presence of Jewish burial customs in the form of pottery sherds present on the eyes and mouth of the deceased, the inclusion of iron padlocks and quarry stones near the lower limbs of the deceased, and absence of complex garments. These customs had special symbolic meaning and function in Jewish burial rites. Also, the orientation of the deceased in the W-E direction, the use of wooden coffins reinforced by iron nails, and the stretched position on the back with arms stretched along the body corresponds with Jewish burial rites. A high concentration of children’s graves suggests that a section reserved for children’s burials called ‘nefele’ was discovered. Dating of the discovered part of the cemetery to the 17th and 18th centuries is based on analysis of archaeological features, stratigraphic relationships and finds originating in the 43 discovered graves.