Simple Graves Research Articles

BURIALS WITH KNIFE-SHAPED BLADES FROM THE DON REGION AND THE NORTH CAUCASUS

In the steppes of Eastern Europe, a whole series of burials were uncovered in simple pits, in which the deceased were buried on their backs, with their legs tucked up, knees up. Their outstretched or half-bent arms lay along the body, hands near the hips, sometimes in the groin area. A flint knife-shaped blade was also discovered there. The bones were richly dyed with ochre. The buried from the Lukovsky I burial ground in the Mozdok district of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, explored in 2017 by the archaeological expedition of LLC “OKN-Proekt” (Rostov-on-Don) complements this series of burials, which S.N. Korenevsky attributes to the proto-Yamna period. The use of knife-shaped blades in the funeral rite is not limited to the framework of the Eneolithic period. They are also found in the burials of the Middle Bronze Age. Since this sample group is characterized by the position of the deceased in simple grave pits, it is questionable to include in it undercut and catacomb structures, in which archaic elements of the funeral rite and grave goods are found. A flint knife with a leather handle was not only a “meat knife”, but also a tool for performing surgical operations. It was used to perform operations to apply cuts (tattoos) to the surface of the skin, as well as to perform rituals associated with phallic cults that emerged in a patriarchal society, where the role of men increased. The placement of a flint blade between the thighs, in the groin area, between the palms, suggests its simbolic meaning. A flint blade was used in performing circumcision of the foreskin, in cult sacrifice.

A Child’s Grave Robe from the Northern Crypt of St Anne’s Church in Konotop, Lubuskie Province, Poland

An ossuary was found in a brass sarcophagus, dated to 1720 based on a medallion. The archaeological material was mixed with rubbish and sand. Inside the sarcophagus, the remains of both adults and children were discovered. These are believed to be members of the von Kottwitz family, former owners of Konotop. The separation of the material into different types of cloth was quite painstaking and lengthy. Only one of the grave robes has survived in an almost intact condition. It was a simple grave robe without a back. During the analysis of the skeletal remains, it was matched to the red stained skeleton of an infant.

Повозки в сарматских погребениях нижневолжских и нижнедонских курганов. Часть 1

The article deals with two burial sites from the Sarmatian kurgans located in the Lower Volga region. Three wheels and two axles of the wagon covering the grave in a wooden frame were discovered in the burial close to the Merkel village excavated in 1929 in the upper reaches of the Karamysh River, on the territory of the Volga German Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Some details have shown that few parts of the wagon were placed in the grave in unfinished form. The diary records of the escavations author Paul Rau, which were found in archives, contained important information. The second burial was explored in the early 1970s in the Astrakhan region. Two wheels were preserved in the grave closing the access to the inner chamber. An analysis of the construction of the graves and wagons parts enables to speak about two types of grave structures in which wagons were placed – simple graves, and graves with inner chambers. The simple graves are contained not only of wheels but also of body parts and other parts of wagon as well. While graves with inner chambers includes only wheels, closing the inner chamber. Parts of old wagons, their unfinished parts, optionally defective ones, have been used in the burial ceremony. The search for analogs refers to the burials of Central Asia and Altai region, which possesses the evidences of two-axle wagons genesis. The one-axle wagons which appeared in the Eastern European steppes at later time are connected originally to the same region. The second part of this article will focus on the origin of the burial rite itself, as well as the spreading time of the tradition, its ways, and mechanism - from the eastern to the western regions of the Eurasian steppes.

Les pratiques funéraires dans la nécropole néolithique de Can Gambús-1 (Sabadell, Espagne) : de la préparation du corps à la fermeture de la tombe

Dans le Neolithique de Catalogne, il faut attendre le Ve millenaire av. J.-C. pour retrouver des sepultures en grand nombre. Cette abondance est a l’origine du nom de la culture des Sepulcres de fossa, qui a livre a ce jour plus de 600 tombes. Malgre ce corpus imposant, il n’existait a ce jour aucune etude des modalites d’inhumation du defunt et des amenagements dont la fosse a pu faire l’objet. Le site de Can Gambus-1 a Sabadell, mis au jour en 2003, constitue la plus recente et la plus remarquable decouverte pour le Neolithique moyen dans cette region. Le bon etat de conservation de la plupart des 47 sepultures a permis de redefinir et de completer les classifications anterieures : une typologie composee de cinq categories principales a ete proposee. On distingue les structures complexes, monumentales et de grandes dimensions, correspondant aux types A a D, des structures simples de type E. L’absence de sujet immature parmi les 51 defunts est remarquable. La proportion de femmes et d’hommes est globalement equivalente. La quasi-totalite des tombes a fourni un mobilier riche et diversifie, caracterise notamment par la presence d’industrie lithique en silex blond, de vases en ceramique, d’outils en os et d’elements de parure en variscite. Quatre datations absolues ont ete obtenues a ce jour. La reconstitution des pratiques funeraires est fondee sur l’analyse taphonomique, qui repose sur la chronologie de la dislocation des articulations du squelette et la pesanteur. Le deroulement des funerailles est restitue de facon dynamique, depuis le moment du deces jusqu’a la fermeture de la sepulture. L’analyse taphonomique du cadavre et de la structure renvoie une image complexe. Les inhumations, essentiellement individuelles, correspondent a des depots primaires. La decomposition se fait dans un espace vide. La chambre sepulcrale peut avoir fait l’objet d’amenagements, comme des planchers, des banquettes ou des supports, destines a accueillir le cadavre ou le mobilier qui l’accompagne. Des elements de type appui-tete ont egalement ete mis evidence. La preparation du corps en vue des funerailles constitue une etape importante des funerailles a Can Gambus-1. La presence d’effets de contrainte, observables au niveau des membres et des extremites, suggere qu’un contenant souple enveloppait le sujet, probablement un vetement. La parure est une autre etape de la preparation du corps. Les perles sur support mineral sont les seules retrouvees. Les effets de paroi et de rupture constituent des indices de supports ou de contenants rigides utilises pour le transport ou le depot du corps. Les effets de paroi attestent l’existence de contenants aux bords montants. Les effets de rupture temoignent de la decomposition d’un element rigide sous le defunt, menageant un vide sous-jacent, dont la disparition a provoque la rupture des articulations. Associees a une paroi, elles evoquent non pas un plancher, mais un contenant rigide mobile de type cercueil ou fixe de type coffre, compose par un fond et quatre parois. Le basculement des membres inferieurs implique cependant des bords peu montants et l’absence de couvercle. L’inhumation sur le dos, selon une orientation nord-est -sud-ouest, constitue la norme. Le type D est caracterise par un changement entre l’orientation de l’individu et de la chambre et celle de la structure. La position et le degre de flexion des membres sont variables. Bien que les genoux apparaissent generalement flechis sur le cote, il ne s’agit pas de leur position initiale, mais d’une consequence de la decomposition du sujet au sein de la sepulture. L’analyse taphonomique du squelette montre que les genoux se trouvaient en elevation lors du depot du defunt dans la tombe. Outre l’abondant mobilier retrouve dans les tombes, l’analyse taphonomique a permis de deceler l’existence d’elements non conserves, repartis en trois categories : les objets tenus, les objets enveloppes et les objets deposes au fond de la fosse. La derniere demeure du defunt devait ainsi evoquer un veritable lieu de vie.

Multi-Chamber Graves from the Tell el-Farkha Cemeteries

The Tell el-Farkha cemeteries demonstrate the typical burial customs of their periods. From the 120 burials discovered so far, one can distinguish two main types of graves, namely a simple grave pit or a pit lined with mud bricks. The latter has various subtypes including multichamber graves. This interesting group, small in number, reveals unusual funeral practice, which was probably connected with the social position of the deceased. In this paper, the multi-chamber group is presented with all its differences and similarities.

Death and the Dissenter: Group Identity and Stylistic Simplicity as Witnessed in Nineteenth-Century Nonconformist Gravestones

Until recently British Nonconformist communities have received little attention from archaeologists; however, their monuments and buildings provide a good opportunity to study one of the most important religious identity groups in early modern history. In the 19th century, Methodism was practiced by 25% of the English churchgoing population, and yet it was not until 1880 that its members were allowed to practice their own funerary rites in local churchyards. This study investigates grave monuments found in the private cemeteries attached to Methodist chapels and compares them with the gravestones found in a contemporary planned Victorian cemetery that was divided into Anglican and Nonconformist areas. Before 1880, when funeral expression was limited, simple undecorated monuments were favored, whereas after this date, complex decorated monuments became more common. Within an environment of religious division and intolerance, some Nonconformists, those lucky enough to have access to private burial grounds, chose to express their identity by practicing selective consumerism and through the uniformity found in simple grave monuments.

Determination of grave locations in Dedemezari Necropolis (Western Turkey) using magnetic field derivatives

AbstractThe location of the study area for this research of a Middle Bronze Age Necropolis is situated in the west of Turkey near Afyonkarahisar. Magnetic surveying was carried out in two adjacent areas (Areas 4 and 5). Four trenches have been excavated so far and graves were located in positions interpreted from a magnetic survey carried out in 2005. Initial excavations have shown that cist, pithos and simple graves were placed randomly and it is suggested that Dedemezari Necropolis is similar to the well known necropoleis of Gordion and Sariket. This paper compares the results of some phase‐based filters which show improved performance as edge detectors in different ways. The filters are demonstrated on synthetic magnetic data and magnetic field data from Dedemezari Necropolis. Magnetic field derivatives, both vertical and horizontal, are common and useful tools for interpretation of the magnetic anomalies. Interpretation of magnetic field derivatives, separately or together, provide images of shallow bodies from magnetic data. The horizontal derivatives of the total magnetic field were computed in the space domain by means of finite‐difference relationships, and the vertical derivative was computed in the frequency domain by using fast Fourier transform filtering. Derivatives of the magnetic anomalies have been used for detection of causative bodies. The analytic signal (AS), the enhanced horizontal derivative (EHD), tilt derivative (TD), theta map, hyperbolic tilt angle (HTA) and total horizontal derivative (THDR) methods were applied not only to synthetic anomalies but also to the measured magnetic anomalies of Areas 4 and 5. However, AS and EHD produced the best results as the other methods created edge effects. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mortuary preferences and selected references: a comment on Middle Horizon Wari burials

In a recently published paper, Isbell (2004; see also Isbell 2000; Isbell and Cook 2002) reports the finding of several Wari mortuary structures from the site of Conchopata. On the basis of this information and additional data from the main Wari site also in the Ayacucho Valley, Isbell has developed a Wari mortuary typology varying from very simple graves to an elaborate chamber complex that is argued to be the tomb of ‘an emperor’. Isbell argues that this mortuary variability mirrors status difference and social inequality. At the same time, Isbell asserts that some high-ranking Wari individuals practiced polygyny. While the paper under consideration provides important data for understanding Wari society, Isbell unfortunately has ignored other equally relevant information. Indeed, published reports of other Wari mortuary structures excavated during the last six years in the Ayacucho Valley are not included in the discussion. Consequently, Isbell's analysis is incomplete and misleading. To amend this situation, our aim is to present the information that we and other colleagues have accumulated in the Ayacucho Valley. All available data considered, Wari mortuary variability is even greater than the simple hierarchical typology promoted by Isbell.

What killed Mozart?

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died in Vienna on December 5, 1791, 2 months before his 36th birthday. 1(p415) His 29-year-old wife, Constanze, became so distraught that she crawled into bed with her dead husband, unsuccessfully attempting to contract his illness and die with him. 2(p153) A physician, legally required to examine the body to exclude foul play, found nothing amiss but performed no autopsy. 1(p523) Regulations specified that interment not occur until 48 hours after death, apparently to ensure that no one was buried alive. 3(p169) During that time, a service took place at St Stephen's Cathedral, where he and Constanze had wed 9 years earlier, and probably on the night of December 7, during inclement weather, a hearse transported the corpse to a cemetery in St Marx, a village about 5 km outside Vienna. Without ceremony or a priest in attendance, Mozart was interred, probably in a coffin in a simple grave. 4(p745).5(p421) It was common practice, however, to sew the unclothed bodies of the dead in linen sacks, place several together in a communal pit, 5(pp414-416),6 and cover them with quicklime to hasten decomposition. No permanent marker commemorated his burial site, and, about 7 years later, workers dug up the grave and reused it, dispersing the remains.

Bob Kastenmeier and the Legislative Process: "Sui Generis" and Proud of It

unique position to observe the Chairman up close. From this experience, I can only admire a man whose contributions to intellectual property are unprecedented and pervasive. Reflecting upon Kastenmeier's achievements, I am reminded of the celebrated English architect Christopher Wren. He rebuilt the churches and public buildings of London after the Great Fire of 1666 and now lies buried in a simple grave in St. Paul's Cathedral, his masterpiece. After Wren's death, admirers approached his son and asked what kind of monument should be built to commemorate his father's legacy. Scoffing at the notion, his son instead installed a small plaque in St. Paul's near his father's grave, with the following inscription: Si monumentum requirs, circumspice (Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you.). Today, we have only to look around us to see the monuments to Bob Kastenmeier. I mention only a few: U.S. adherence to the Berne Convention,' the Satellite Home Viewer Act of 1988,2 the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990,3 the Semiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984,4 the 1976 revision of the Copyright Act,5 and something Christopher Wren would appreciate, the Architectural Works Copyright Protection Act of 1990.6 Kastenmeier's legacy, however, goes beyond the statute books, and this is my principal theme: by eschewing dogma and philosophy and by virtue of his

Thirteen Latin Funerary Inscriptions at Harvard University

Presented here are 14 Roman epitaphs of early Imperial date from the epigraphic collections of Harvard University. All but three were published in 1909 by Clifford H. Moore, who purchased a small collection of Latin inscriptions in Rome in 1905 and 1906 for Harvard's Department of the Classics. Most of the stones collected by Moore are simple grave markers of first-or second-century date from the city of Rome; more than half reportedly came from the Early Imperial necropolis unearthed around the turn of the century outside the Aurelian Wall between the Porta Salaria (Piazza Fiume) and the Porta Pinciana. In general the material in Moore's collection reflects the humble character of the cemetery as a whole: slaves and freedmen (some of prominent families), freeborn city dwellers of modest means, and soldiers of the praetorian guard are commemorated on columbarium stones (including mensae sepulchrales), larger slabs originally set into the facades of standing tombs, grave stelae, and funerary altars. A brief overview of Moore's collection precedes a catalogue in which 11 of his inscriptions, newly edited, are furnished with commentaries designed to set the texts more fully into their historical context. Two stones not part of Moore's collection (one an unpublished columbarium marker, the other an opisthograph funerary relief from Liguria) are included in the final two entries in order to complete the survey of Harvard's Latin epigraphic holdings.