Abstract
So called flat graves of south-eastern group of Funnel Beaker Culture (FBC SE) is a phenomenon underrepresented in archaeological studies of the Eneolithic. Researchers’ focus on “the megalithic idea” in recent decades left other forms of burial largely unexplored. In fact, it seems, that even 70% of graves of FBC SE could be described as latter group. In this study, some comment on localisation within cemeteries, constructions and orientation of graves will be provided, based on sample collected from previously published studies from most of known geographical range of FBC SE. As it will be shown, a problem of flat graves is a complex problem which should be thought on in context of whole FBC SE funerary practices.
Highlights
This study focuses on graves of the southeastern group of the Funnel Beaker Culture ( FBC SE), that have been found outside monumental tombs
Are there deeper differences in burial customs between the two groups, and how can we define them? To answer this, a more detailed question needs to be asked about flat graves found in the vicinity of monuments: do they represent the same, or a complementary funerary tradition to monumental barrows, or should they be considered separate flat cemeteries, “incidentally” set on the same site? For that purpose, the spatial context of the graves will be used as a major factor distinguishing them for further comparison
This study focuses on the possibilities of classification of burial practices of the FBC SE as manifested in the archaeological record; there is no attempt to build a universal model of burial practices within the whole range of the FBC
Summary
This study focuses on graves of the southeastern group of the Funnel Beaker Culture ( FBC SE), that have been found outside monumental tombs. There is no denying that the appearance of monumentalism is one of most distinctive traits of the Funnel-Beaker Culture, in terms of conceptualising funerary practices, flat graves are important, as they are present in all of its regional variations (for example, at sites such as Ostorf in NE Germany, Dragsholm in Denmark, and Sarnowo, site A1 in Kuyavia; Sjögren et al 2015, 5; Król 2015, 108-109) This is especially true for the southeastern group of the FBC, where flat graves – both those spatially connected to chamberless tombs, and those set apart from them – are a complementary (or even major, in terms of the numbers of buried dead) element of funeral practice. The reason for that is that most of the sites included in the database come from the first two of the aforementioned regions
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