Abstract

The presence of animal bones in human graves may often represent the ritual deposition of alimentary offerings for the dead. In fact, several ancient cultures believed in the perpetuation of earthly life activities and necessities in the afterlife. This essay presents the methodological aspects and the results of the archaeozoological analyses carried out on the 39 graves examined so far in the Etruscan-Celtic necropolis of Monterenzio Vecchio (Bologna, Northern Italy). The study of the animal bone remains points to a very high standardization of meat offering preparatory practices and their presentation inside the graves. The meat portions were always composed of a few adjoining ribs from a single young porker (Sus domesticus). The distribution of the bone remains and the lack of manifest stripping traces on the surface, in spite of evidence for meat cooking, exclude any possible interpretation of these findings as refuse from a hypothetical funerary banquet. The spatial and functional correlation between data from faunal and taphonomic analyses, the burial features and grave goods denote obvious symbolic connotations related to funerary rituals. The generalized presence in the Monterenzio Vecchio graves of highly standardized alimentary offerings, generally placed in funerary pottery, seems to demonstrate the existence of a well-defined “food of the dead”.

Highlights

  • Research on animal bone remains in funerary contexts aims to identify the species in an archaeological context, but rather to establish how men used animal resources in di erent circumstances from those of utilitarian everyday life

  • In the Monterenzio Vecchio necropolis, food o erings were a major part of the funerary ritual, as the discovery of animal bones in most of the examined graves clearly shows. is paper presents the analysis of meat-based food o erings found in the 39 graves we examined

  • Faunal bone remains resulting from funerary food o erings were found in practically all the untouched graves in Monterenzio Vecchio, whether male or female, and without substantial qualitative or quan

Read more

Summary

Elena MAINI Antonio CURCI

Maini E. & Curci A. 2013. — The food of the dead: alimentary offerings in the Etruscan-Celtic necropolis of Monterenzio Vecchio (Bologna, Italy). — The food of the dead: alimentary offerings in the Etruscan-Celtic necropolis of Monterenzio Vecchio (Bologna, Italy). Is essay presents the methodological aspects and the results of the archaeozoological analyses carried out on the 39 graves examined so far in the Etruscan-Celtic necropolis of Monterenzio Vecchio (Bologna, Northern Italy). E generalized presence in the Monterenzio Vecchio graves of highly standardized alimentary o erings, generally placed in funerary pottery, seems to demonstrate the existence of a well-de ned “food of the dead”. La nourriture des morts : o randes alimentaires de la nécropole étrusco-celtique de Monterenzio Vecchio (Bologne – Italie). Dans cette contribution les aspects méthologiques et les résultats de l’étude archéozoologique conduite sur 39 sépultures de la nécropole étrusque-celtique de Monterenzio Vecchio (Bologne) seront présentés. La corrélation spatiale et fonctionnelle des données issues de l’analyse faunique et taphonomique, ainsi que les caractères typologiques des sépultures et des mobiliers, ont permis de mettre en évidence des connotations symboliques liées au rituel funéraire ainsi que l’existence d’une véritable « nourriture des morts »

INTRODUCTION
ZOOARCHEAOLOGICAL AND TAPHONOMIC STUDIES
Findings
COMMENTS ON RITUALISM
Full Text
Published version (Free)

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 call