Large Cemetery Research Articles

Large Cemeteries as Materialised Socio-political Relations

Large Cemeteries as Materialised Socio-political Relations

Drivers of plant biodiversity on cemeteries in the Ruhr Metropolitan Region (W Germany)

Cemeteries are biodiversity hotspots in urban areas, while the drivers of their floristic diversity are poorly understood. We investigated 153 cemeteries in the western Ruhr Metropolitan Region and generated comprehensive species lists of wild plants. Altogether, we found 964 species, equivalent to 53.6% of the flora known from the region. Cluster analysis revealed five distinct cemetery types based on their species composition and prevalence. Subsequently, we used ANOVAs to relate the most effective environmental descriptors identified with a CCA to the five clusters, thus revealing the drivers of species composition. Two of the main clusters had clear regional foci, which could be explained by soil types, while the third main cluster included most of the large cemeteries with many different habitat types, and encompassed sites from the entire study region. Here, the number of species is highest. Two smaller clusters included old historic and Jewish cemeteries, respectively, which were characterized by a smaller number of neophytes and heat indicators. Through the various functional types, the cemeteries contribute to the biodiversity of urban areas like the Ruhr Metropolitan Region and thus counteract the floristic homogenization of cities.

Reconstructing dietary practices at Tell Kamid el-Loz (Lebanon) during the Bronze and Iron Age III / Persian to Hellenistic periods using plant micro-remains from dental calculus and stable isotope analysis of bone collagen

Tell Kamid el-Loz (Lebanon) was an important Bronze Age urban center that dominated one of the central crossroads of the Ancient Near East, connecting Egypt and the Levant with northern Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and Syria, as well as the interior with the Mediterranean coast. However, by the early Iron Age, the site had shrunk to a small rural settlement. Later, in the Iron Age III / Persian-Hellenistic, only enigmatic pits and a large cemetery remained. In this paper, we analyzed plant micro-remains from the dental calculus of 15 individuals (3 from the Middle Bronze Age II and 12 from the Iron Age III / Persian-Hellenistic) and δ13C and δ15N stable isotope data from tbulk bone collagen of 74 individuals (10 from the Middle Bronze Age II and 64 from the Iron Age III / Persian-Hellenistic) and 13 Late Bronze Age animal bones (7 Ovis/Capra and 6 Bos). Our results indicate general stability of human diet throughout the Middle Bronze Age II and the Iron III / Persian-Hellenistic periods, with a reliance on C3 plant crops and terrestrial animals also consuming C3 plants. In the later period, the plant micro-remains indicate the consumption of C4 plants and sedges, and the stable isotope analysis indicates differences in diet between males and females.

Dietary changes seen through the isotope analysis of the La Tène burial site of Prosmyky (Bohemia, 4th-3rd century BCE)

Dietary reconstruction using carbon and nitrogen isotopes has been applied to the La Tène population buried at Prosmyky, a large cemetery of the 4th-3rd centuries BCE in northwest Bohemia. The analysis of bone collagen from 55 individuals showed a diet that did not differ noticeably from other contemporary sites in the region. However, chronologically sensitive development in diet, with gradually increasing δ13C values, was present, signifying a growing reliance on millet for sustenance through the cemetery’s lifespan. Moreover, a rather unusual higher δ15N in individuals older than ca. 30 years of age was also observed. Possible explanations are examined, along with a comparison with other published data from the region, suggesting the influence of regionally based developments that might be linked with the societal shifts that led towards the Late La Tène period.

Chronological problems of the 7th–10th-century AD Carpathian Basin in light of radiocarbon data

The study presents the evaluation of a radiocarbon series, currently unparalleled in the research of the early medieval Carpathian Basin, which comprises data from the 7th to the 10th century AD. We provide a data set that, when combined with the radiocarbon data available in the related literature, covers the period in focus. The results of its analysis can be considered novel in several respects: 1) the radiocarbon data sequence and the relative chronological framework established for the Late Avar Period concord, 2) based on the radiocarbon sequence, the Middle Avar Period in certain large cemeteries (i.e., Tiszafüred-Majoros) started considerably earlier than it was assumed previously, based on ‘Middle Avar Period’ elite graves—and, interestingly, earlier even than the coin-dated ‘Middle Avar’ elite grave horizon, and 3) the data of the latest grave horizon in Avar cemeteries suggests a similar asynchronism between the related sites. The data set allows one to draw preliminary conclusions about the trends of the early medieval cultural and social transformations in the Carpathian Basin and outline ‘innovative’ groups which, by maintaining contacts with diverse regions outside the Carpathian Basin, played a central role in these processes.

Population expansion and intensification from a Malthus-Boserup perspective: A multiproxy approach in Central Western Argentina

In Central Western Argentina (CWA), the incorporation of cultigens by hunter-gatherer populations has been much discussed. This paper explores the relationship between population dynamics, subsistence change, and burial patterns driven by the process of land use intensification and increasing reliance on maize. We hypothesize that territorial behavior emerged in the context of population growth and competition for resources with a high probability of failure, as expected in an arid environment. To evaluate this hypothesis, we explore four lines of inquiry in southern Mendoza (CWA): 1) the frequency of radiocarbon dates to estimate population dynamics; 2) the Juvenile Index as a fertility rate proxy; 3) the stable isotopes on human bone (δ13Cco, δ15N, δ13Cca) to reconstruct diet; and 4) burial patterns as an estimate of territorial control. Our results partially support our hypothesis: During an early stage, when maize started to appear in the diet, the population was increasing, and cemeteries emerged along with some signs of violence. The hypothesis is not supported in a second period, when maize consumption and population were highest, but large cemeteries disappeared. In light of this evidence, the effect of maize on human societies was not uniform and irrevocable, and the adoption of maize by human foragers contributed to a new and diverse set of human-environment relationships.

Mobility, Lineage, and Land Tenure: Interpreting House Groups at Early Agricultural Settlements in the Tucson Basin, Southern Arizona

AbstractDuring the Early Agricultural period (2100 BC–AD 50), preceramic farmers in the Sonoran Desert invested considerable labor in canal-irrigated field systems while remaining very residentially mobile. The degree to which they exercised formal systems of land tenure, or organized their communities above the household level, remains contested. This article discusses the spatial and social organization of Early Cienega–phase settlements in the Los Pozos site group, an Early Agricultural site complex located along the Santa Cruz River in southern Arizona. At Los Pozos, the formal spatial organization of seasonal farmsteads suggests that despite continued residential mobility, multihousehold lineages maintained distinct territories. Enduring “house groups”—likely lineal groups—are associated with disproportionately large cemeteries, suggesting the revisitation of ancestral territory through occupational hiatuses. However, variability in the formality and permanence of Early Cienega–phase settlements throughout the region indicates a flexible continuum of occupational mobility. These higher-order affiliations were only expressed in persistent settlements near highly productive farmland, where the relative priority of households over improved land might be contested.

When the Cemetery Becomes Political: Dealing with the Religious Heritage in Multi-Ethnic Regions

When the Cemetery Becomes Political: Dealing with the Religious Heritage in Multi-Ethnic Regions

Shift in the seasonality of ixodid ticks after a warm winter in an urban habitat with notes on morphotypes of Ixodes ricinus and data in support of cryptic species within Ixodes frontalis

This study was initiated to assess the seasonality and to investigate the morphology of questing ixodid ticks in an urban habitat in Central Europe, Hungary. A neglected part of a large cemetery, with sparse tree covering and dense lower vegetation, was sampled monthly from February 2019 to May 2021. All ticks were analyzed morphologically, and selected specimens by amplifying and sequencing two genetic markers. During the study 3818 ticks were collected, including Ixodes ricinus (n = 2772), Ixodes frontalis (n = 350) and Haemaphysalis concinna (n = 696). Ixodes ricinus adults and nymphs showed year-round activity, whereas H. concinna was not active during winter months and early spring. Most I. frontalis nymphs were collected in late winter and early spring, whereas the peak activity of larvae was during late autumn. Interestingly, during the spring, the peak activity of I. ricinus adults and nymphs was later (in May) when preceded by a warm winter in 2020. In contrast, the 2019 and 2021 spring activity peaks occurred in March and April after sharply rising temperatures in February. This shift in the peak activity of I. ricinus coincided with the initiation of questing activity of H. concinna. Three notably different morphotypes and four malformed specimens of I. ricinus were found. However, these were not significantly different in their mitochondrial haplotypes and phylogenetic clustering from typical specimens of this species. On the other hand, I. frontalis was represented by two remarkably different haplogroups, between which in the nymph stage there were no recognizable morphological differences, suggesting the status of these as cryptic species.

Urban space, power and people through the optic of cemeteries in late medieval Cairo and Paris

AbstractThis article argues that a micro-historical and comparative analysis of urban burial spaces can provide fresh insight into cities. Two late medieval cemeteries are considered here: the Qarāfa in Cairo and Saints-Innocents in Paris. Despite the former being geographically peripheral and the latter central, both these relatively large cemeteries were integral to their respective urban spheres. Beyond the role of sultans and kings, collective shaping was key to the longue durée formation of both capitals’ cemeteries. They were also shaped by multiple urban communities of the living and the dead at the closer level and offer insight into these communities.

Ancient genomes reveal complex genetic history of an international metropolis at Kublai Khan's Upper Capital (Xanadu)

AbstractObjectivesAs the political, economic, military, and cultural center of the early Yuan Dynasty, Xanadu attracted people from all over the world. It was thriving and prosperous, composed of residents with different customs and religious beliefs from different social strata. Genetic analysis of Xanadu's residents provides a valuable approach for inferring processes of population movement and exchange during the Yuan period.Materials and MethodsNine skeletons from Zhenzishan cemetery, the largest cemetery near Xanadu, were selected for the whole‐genome shotgun sequencing and capture sequencing of the nonrecombining region of the Y chromosome, three of whom were identified as likely being of European descent based on cranio‐facial morphology.ResultsThere were nine mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes (F1a1, D5b1, B4a3, B5a2a1, H6a1a, T2d1, D4o2a, N9a1, and Z4a) and eight Y‐chromosome DNA haplogroups (G/M201, I/M170, J/M304, L/M20, O/M175, Q/M242, R/M207, and T/M184) identified in the nine ancient individuals. Autosomal analysis further subdivided them into four groups (ZZS_EA, ZZS_CA, ZZS_SA, and ZZS_Cau).DiscussionAs the capital of the Yuan Dynasty, Xanadu was a prosperous city with international influence. The nine skeletons from the Zhenzishan cemetery reflect the high genetic diversity of Xanadu's residents, with clear differences in paternal and maternal origins. The maternal lineages of these residents were mainly East Asian with some western Eurasian features, while the paternal lineages were mainly western Eurasian with fewer East Asian features. These results contribute to a better understanding of the Mongolian Empire's impact on the migration and mixture of people across the Eurasian continent.

URBAN PLANT DIVERSITY POTENTIAL OF THE CEMETERIES AND THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OFFERED: THE SAMPLE OF KAYSERİ CITY (ASRİ) CEMETERY

Cemeteries are one of the indispensable forms of land use in urban areas or in the city. Urban cemeteries are among the green infrastructure elements all over the world, and with the increasing urbanization, they play an important role for urban biodiversity conservation. Aim: In this study, the urban plant diversity potential of the cemeteries was investigated and the ecosystem services provided by the tree species used were discussed. In this context, Kayseri City Cemetery, which is the largest cemetery of the city, was chosen as the study area. Method: First of all, on-site observation and investigation were made and the current state of the cemetery area was revealed, and plants in the area were identified. Then, with the table created on the basis of the literature review the ecosystem services provided by the dominant tree species in the area have been determined. Findings: As a result of on-site observations and investigation carried out in the cemetery a total of 101 taxa, 53 of which were coniferous and broad-leaved trees / shrubs, were identified. The supplier, organizer, habitat and cultural ecosystem services provided by the 10 dominant tree species were examined under 5 main topic such as social, cultural, economic, aesthetic and ecological benefits. Results: The study area on the basis of tree species; it provides many important ecosystem services such as increasing cultural-historical and aesthetic value, biodiversity potential, regulating the urban climate, recreation, improving public health and psychology. As a result, it is necessary to make an inventory of the cemeteries, which are an important land use in urban areas both for the rotection of urban plant diversity and for the sustainability of biological diversity, on the basis of natural-cultural-endemic species and to demonstrate their ecological value.

Skupinové pohřebiště únětické kultury z Lovosic (okr. Litoměřice). K funerálním areálům starší doby bronzové v severozápadních Čechách / The Únětice Culture Group Cemetery from Lovosice (Litoměřice District). On Early Bronze Age Burial Grounds in Northwest Bohemia

The subject of the article is the “group” Unětice culture cemetery from the Early Bronze Age investigated in 2014 in Lovosice (Litoměřice district, northwest Bohemia). The cemetery’s dating to 2021–1751 BC corresponds to the mature stage of the Unětice culture in other parts of Bohemia (Moucha’s preclassical and classical stages). The cemetery is characterised by stone and apparently even wooden structures, multiple burials and the exclusive presence of miniature vessels. The population was composed primarily of old adults with the corresponding degenerative productive changes; only two non-adults were determined. Epigenetic marks on the skeletons testifying to a certain degree of kinship between the buried individuals were documented at the group cemetery and outside of it. New excavations have provided more detailed information on the spatial structure of burial grounds which, in addition to large cemeteries (of the Liběšovice, Březno near Louny, and Velke Žernoseky type), are composed of cemeteries with 10–20 graves, small groups of graves and solitary graves. These are also frequently accompanied by contemporary settlements located either close to the cemeteries or, as in the case of Lovosice, in the middle of the burial grounds. The spatial distribution of exogenous artefacts (amber beads, gold ornaments, silicite daggers) points to the possibility of the existence of an established network of long-distance routes in northwest Bohemia in the Early Bronze Age. One of the possible nodal points connected to the long-distance exchange system could have been located in the lower Ohře River region. This is documented, among other things, by the concentration of burial grounds with exceptional finds, settlements with evidence of metallurgy and the largest Bohemian hoards of ingots concentrated in the geographically defined microregion of Lovosice.

Life and death in ancient Hermione. Excavations in the necropolis

The wealth of ancient Hermione is no longer visible: continuous habitation from c. 3000 BC down to the present day has obliterated most traces. Important information on the social organization and economy of Hermione can however be drawn from the tombs that have been unearthed. A large cemetery was discovered in the early 20th century just outside the city gate, stretching along the road leading to ancient Mases and in continuous use for a period of 1,500 years. It covers an area of 1.5 km east–west along the modern Hermione–Kranidi rural road, taking in the terrain to either side to a width of 160 m and extending south to Pron Hill and north to a patch of level ground some 60 m wide. In this article we focus on cemetery finds unearthed in the area south of the present-day Gymnasium-Lykeion school of Hermione, as they typically reflect the urban organization and economic development of the ancient city. These two themes comprise some of the goals pursued in the collaborative research programme between the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Argolid and the Swedish Institute at Athens.

A Digital X-Ray Analysis of Middle Bronze Age Skeletal Samples from the Baraba Forest-Steppe

We present the results of a comparative analysis of skeletal and dental pathologies in Middle Bronze Age individuals buried at Late Krotovo and Andronovo (Fedorovka) cemeteries in southwestern Siberia. This was the period when the Andronovo steppe tradition in Northern and Central Asia expanded in various directions, including the foreststeppe. Growth arrest lines on tibiae (Harris lines) and dental pathologies (enamel hypoplasia and caries) were recorded. To evaluate developmental anomalies in the bone tissue, digital X-ray analysis was used. The principal sample includes representatives of various sex and age groups buried at the largest cemetery in the region, Tartas-1 (Baraba forest-steppe). Harris lines and enamel hypoplasia result from a broad range of factors such as infections, occasional malnutrition, traumas, vitamin defi ciencies, etc. Caries is caused by a high amount of carbohydrates in the diet, accompanied by low standards of oral hygiene. These pathologies occur at different ages: Harris lines and enamel hypoplasia evidence adverse factors during infancy and adolescence, whereas caries is typical of adulthood. Late Krotovo and Andronovo groups differ in terms of occurrence and combination of pathologies. Enamel hypoplasia is less frequent in the Andronovo sample, indicating a lesser stress level in children. Harris lines are less frequent in the Late Krotovo group, suggestive of lower stress level during adolescence. These differences may be tentatively attributed to various models of subsistence and cultural adaptation.

From early to late modern societies (late 16th - early 20th century): Shifts in dental health status in two populations from southeastern France

In France, bioarcheological research has long overlooked the early and late modern periods, which witnessed major transformations impacting population structure and leading to the dawn of modern industrialized societies. Two recently excavated large cemeteries in Provence present a unique opportunity to investigate on a large scale the impact on health and living conditions brought about by the Industrial Revolution and consequently track health status changes from the 16th to the early 20th century.The sample includes 642 individuals from the early modern cemetery of Saint-Jacques, La Ciotat (1581–1831) and the late modern cemetery of Les Crottes, Marseille (1784–1905). This study aims to document dental health markers and compare the results between both assemblages, considering ante-mortem tooth loss, wear, caries, abscesses, calculus, periodontitis and linear enamel hypoplasia. The available archaeological and historical sources for these recent periods provide a full documentation in which to interpret and discuss the biological analysis, thus enabling an inclusive bioarcheological approach. Resultsrevealed similarities between both samples. Differences are more subtle than expected and are seen through the increase in carious lesions and in linear enamel hypoplasia. The former seem to indicate changes in diet with the introduction of new foodstuffs and manufacturing processes during the Industrial Revolution. The latter could reflect the increase in early childhood stress, perhaps due to new feeding practices around weaning and breastfeeding or a poorly diversified diet. Finally, the increasing number of stress events could suggest a noxious sanitary and infectious environment. During the 19th century, Marseille experienced strong demographic and urban growth, resulting in overcrowded areas where sanitation facilities were insufficient or absent. Moreover, the activity of this important trading seaport might have promoted the transmission and appearance of epidemic diseases despite scientific and medical advances, which would have a real impact only from the 20th century onwards.

EARLY AND MIDDLE BRONZE AGE CHRONOLOGY OF THE CARPATHIAN BASIN REVISITED: QUESTIONS ANSWERED OR PERSISTENT CHALLENGES?

ABSTRACTThe Early and Middle Bronze Age in the Carpathian Basin is often viewed as a long period of transition from a dispersed form of land occupation to one of increasing aggregation, ultimately resulting in the formation of tell settlements and large cemeteries. This developmental trajectory remains a legacy of early 20th century archaeology, where the similarity of material culture recovered from cemeteries and settlements was used to develop a multi-linear scheme of progression of regional chronologies tied to specific archaeological cultures. While typologically conclusive, the recent increase in the availability of radiocarbon determinations suggests that these sequences represent a priori interpretation of social development rather than empirically verified observations. In order to do so, it is necessary to re-evaluate the existing dataset in order to determine whether the formation of tells was a chronologically contemporary development and whether the regional chronological sequences are supported by independent dating.

Early imperialism in the Andes: Wari colonisation of Nasca

The highland Wari (AD 600–1000) were an influential and expansive Andean civilisation, yet the nature and organisation of Wari power is debated. For example, it is suggested that coastal Nasca was governed by Wari, but doubts remain about its role in the region. Recent excavations at Huaca del Loro in Nasca have uncovered rectilinear compounds, a D-shaped temple, a large cemetery and a domestic area. The authors suggest that this evidence reflects Wari colonisation, undertaken during a period of primary expansion, on a site with long-established ties between Wari and Nasca. The use of multiple colonising strategies and local responses may reflect imperial situations in other world civilisations.

Byzantine Archaeological Remains in Beer Sheva, Israel

Beer Sheba in the Byzantine period was a large and important city in the province of Palestine Tertia. It served as an administrative, religious, and military center, and seat of the Roman military commander of Palestine. Beer Sheva is mentioned in many sources, including historical texts, epigraphic sources, and archaeological research. In recent years, following archaeological excavations conducted at the city's new transportation center have been uncovered Be'er Sheva's Byzantine residential neighborhoods. These excavations open a new window into the daily life of the city, in a way that did not exist before. The residential neighborhoods surrounded the city center to the north, east, and west and included buildings built on local loess soil and complexes dug within it. Industrial areas and large cemeteries with hundreds of tombs were located around the city. The state historical and archaeological research to date does not allow for a complete picture of the city in the Byzantine period. This article centralizes and summarizes most of the work on the subject to date and brings new insights to Byzantine Beer Sheva.

To Care or Not to Care? Which Factors Influence the Distribution of Early-Flowering Geophytes at the Vienna Central Cemetery (Austria)

Cemeteries not only serve as burial sites but also as a habitat for many animal and plant species, as the specific management of cemeteries creates conditions that hardly exist anywhere else. So-called stinzen plants are those plant species that show a connection to old garden cultures and need precisely these conditions. Many stinzen plants are early-flowering geophytes. We examined which factors influence the distribution and abundance (=cover values) of early-flowering geophytes at the largest cemetery in Austria, the Zentralfriedhof in Vienna, and tried to identify such stinzen populations. In spring 2020, we performed two vegetation surveys in 143 plots and recorded the occurrence and abundance (in %) of early-flowering geophytes. Then, we collected four variables for each plot: (1) cemetery type (architectural cemetery, park cemetery, and memorial), (2) care intensity, (3) type of use (path between graves, abandoned graves, free space between road and grave, and open meadow area with adjacent graves), and (4) distance to the next path. We recorded a total of nine different early-flowering geophyte species. All nine species were found on plots with very low care intensity. Only two species were found on paths between graves. Six species are listed as threatened on Vienna’s Red Data List. Two species, Eranthis hyemalis and Galanthus nivalis, are ornamental plants. Plots in the park cemetery have significantly lower average cover values of early-flowering geophytes than plots in the other two cemetery types. This can be explained by high maintenance measures and increased visitor pressure due to its location. Additionally, the data revealed that high care intensity seems to harm early-flowering geophytes. This study showed that cemeteries are refugia for protected species in urban areas and should, therefore, be considered in urban nature conservations.