22.02.17 14:51
Grünberg, Bernhard Gramsch, Gramsch, Bernhard Grünberg, International Conference Lars Larsson, Jörg Orschiedt and Harald Meller Harald and Orschiedt Jörg Larsson, Lars Edited by M. Judith organisation of early postglacial communities Mesolithic burials – Rites, symbols and social social and symbols – Rites, burials Mesolithic TAGUNGEN DESTAGUNGEN LANDESMUSEUMS FÜR VORGESCHICHTE HALLE Halle (Saale), Germany, 18th–21st September 2o13 September 18th–21st Germany, (Saale), Halle Organisation früher postglazialer Gemeinschaften 2016 Mesolithische Bestattungen – Riten, Symbole und soziale soziale und Symbole – Riten, Bestattungen Mesolithische 13/II
TAGUNGEN DES Mesolithic burials – Rites, symbols and LANDESMUSEUMS FÜR
VORGESCHICHTE HALLE social organisation of early postglacial communities 13/II ISSN 1867-4402 ISBN 978-3-944507-43-9 ISBN TB_Mesolithikum_II.indd 1 Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle Band 13/II | 2016
Mesolithic burials – Rites, symbols and social organisation of early postglacial communities Mesolithische Bestattungen – Riten, Symbole und soziale Organisation früher postglazialer Gemeinschaften
International Conference Halle (Saale), Germany, 18th–21st September 2o13 Internationale Konferenz Halle (Saale), Deutschland, 18.–21. September 2o13
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle Band 13/II | 2016
Mesolithic burials – Rites, symbols and social organisation of early postglacial communities Mesolithische Bestattungen – Riten, Symbole und soziale Organisation früher postglazialer Gemeinschaften International Conference Halle (Saale), Germany, 18th–21st September 2o13 Internationale Konferenz Halle (Saale), Deutschland, 18.–21. September 2o13
Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt landesmuseum für vorgeschichte
Edited by Judith M. Grünberg, Bernhard Gramsch, Lars Larsson, Jörg Orschiedt and Harald Meller
Halle (Saale) 2o16 With many thanks to our sponsors:
Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über https://portal.dnb.de abrufbar.
issn 2194-9441 isbn 978-3-9445o7-43-9
Koordination Judith M. Grünberg • Halle (Saale) Wissenschaftliche Redaktion Judith M. Grünberg • Halle (Saale), Bernhard Gramsch • Potsdam Englisches Lektorat Alison Wilson • Cambridge, UK Deutsche Zusammenfassungen der Beiträge von Nicht-Muttersprachlern Judith M. Grünberg • Halle (Saale), Bernhard Gramsch • Potsdam Übersetzung englischer Texte (22, 27) Alison Wilson, Gerda T. Mamott • beide Cambridge, UK Technische Bearbeitung Judith M. Grünberg, Alexander Häusler, Ingeborg Meiling, Brigitte Parsche, Rosel Reichelt, Wolfgang Reichelt, Monika Weinhold • Halle (Saale), Bernhard Gramsch • Potsdam, Juliane Weiss • Jena Bildbearbeitung, Satz MEDIEN PROFIS GmbH, Grafische Produktionen • Leipzig, Mario Wiegmann • Halle (Saale)
Für den Inhalt der Arbeiten sind die Autoren eigenverantwortlich.
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Papier alterungsbeständig nach din/iso 97o6 Satzschrift FF Celeste, News Gothic Gestaltungskonzept Carolyn Steinbeck • Berlin Umschlaggestaltung Louis D. Nebelsick, Brigitte Parsche • Halle (Saale) Layout, Satz und Produktion MEDIEN PROFIS GmbH, Grafische Produktionen • Leipzig Druck und Bindung Salzland Druck GmbH & Co. KG • Staßfurt
Cover image: Grave goods from the Mesolithic burial of Bad Dürrenberg (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany). Photography: Andrea Hörentrup • Halle (Saale), design: Brigitte Parsche • Halle (Saale) Inhalt / Contents
Band I
11 Preface of the editors
13 Judith M. Grünberg Mesolithic burials – Rites, symbols and social organisation of early postglacial communities
25 Christopher Meiklejohn, Jeff Babb and Weldon Hiebert A chrono-geographic look at Mesolithic burials: an initial study Eine chronologisch-geographische Sicht auf mesolithische Bestattungen: Eine erste Studie
47 Erik Brinch Petersen Afterlife in the Danish Mesolithic – the creation, use and discarding of »Loose Human Bones« Nachleben im Mesolithikum Dänemarks – Entstehung, Nutzung und Wegwerfen »loser menschlicher Knochen«
63 Søren A. Sørensen Loose human bones from the Danish Mesolithic Lose menschliche Knochen aus dem Dänischen Mesolithikum
73 Berit V. Eriksen and Hans Chr. H. Andersen Hammelev. An Early Mesolithic cremation grave from Southern Jutland, Denmark Hammelev. Eine frühmesolithische Brandbestattung aus Südjütland, Dänemark
81 Esben Kannegaard Late Mesolithic ochre graves at Nederst, Denmark: ochre rituals and customs of personal adornment Spätmesolithische Ockergräber bei Nederst, Dänemark: Ockerrituale und Bräuche des persönlichen Schmucks
95 Ole Lass Jensen Double burials and cremations from the Late Mesolithic site of Nivå 1o, Eastern Denmark Doppel- und Brandbestattungen vom spätmesolithischen Fundplatz Nivå 1o, Ostdänemark
109 Peter Vang Petersen Papooses in the Mesolithic? A reinterpretation of tooth and snail shell ornaments found in grave 8 at Bøgebakken and other Mesolithic burials »Papooses« im Mesolithikum? Eine Neuinterpretation von Verzierungen mit Zähnen und Schneckengehäusen, gefunden im Grab 8 bei Bøgebakken und in anderen mesolithischen Bestattungen
125 Karl-Göran Sjögren and Torbjörn Ahlström Early Mesolithic burials from Bohuslän, western Sweden Frühmesolithische Gräber von Bohuslän, Westschweden
145 Sara Gummesson and Fredrik Molin The Mesolithic cemetery at Strandvägen, Motala, in eastern central Sweden Das mesolithische Gräberfeld bei Strandvägen, Motala, im östlichen Mittelschweden
161 Fredrik Hallgren and Elin Fornander Skulls on stakes and skulls in water. Mesolithic mortuary rituals at Kanaljorden, Motala, Sweden 7ooo BP Schädel auf Pfählen und Schädel im Wasser. Mesolithische Bestattungsriten bei Kanaljorden, Motala, Schweden 7ooo BP 175 Lars Larsson Some aspects of mortuary practices at the Late Mesolithic cemeteries at Skateholm, southernmost Sweden Einige Aspekte der Bestattungssitten auf den spätmesolithischen Friedhöfen bei Skateholm, im südlichsten Teil Schwedens
185 Marja Ahola Re-thinking the Stone Age burial ground of Jönsas, Southern Finland Überdenken des steinzeitlichen Gräberfeldes von Jönsas, Südfinnland
193 Adomas Butrimas Biržulis lake islands Donkalnis and Spiginas Mesolithic cemeteries (West Lithuania) Mesolithische Gräberfelder auf den Inseln Donkalnis und Spiginas im Biržulis See (Westlitauen)
219 Rimantas Jankauskas, Žydru¯ne˙ Miliauskiene˙ and Mantas Daubaras Skeletal markers of activities and social status in Lithuanian and Latvian Mesolithic-Neolithic population Markierungen von Tätigkeiten am Skelett und sozialer Status in der mesolithisch-neolithischen Bevölkerung Litauens und Lettlands
225 Ilga Zagorska Mesolithic burial traditions in Latvia. A case study from Zvejnieki burial ground Mesolithische Bestattungstraditionen in Lettland. Eine Fallstudie vom Gräberfeld Zvejnieki
241 Harald Lübke, Ute Brinker, John Meadows, Valdis Be¯rzin¸š and Ilga Zagorska New research on the human burials of Rin‚ n‚ ukalns, Latvia Neue Forschung an den menschlichen Bestattungen von Rin‚ n‚ ukalns, Lettland
257 Judith M. Grünberg The Mesolithic burials of the Middle Elbe-Saale region Die mesolithischen Bestattungen im Mittelelbe-Saale-Gebiet
291 Judith M. Grünberg, Heribert A. Graetsch, Karl-Uwe Heußner and Karla Schneider Analyses of Mesolithic grave goods from upright seated individuals in Central Germany Analysen der mesolithischen Grabbeigaben von den aufrecht sitzenden Individuen in Mitteldeutschland
329 Marcus Stecher, Judith M. Grünberg and Kurt W. Alt Bioarchaeology of the Mesolithic individuals from Bottendorf (Thuringia, Germany) Bioarchäologie der mesolithischen Individuen von Bottendorf (Thüringen, Deutschland)
345 Mario Küßner and Torsten Schunke A Mesolithic cremation burial and a hazelnut roasting site in Coswig, Wittenberg District, Central Germany Eine mesolithische Brandbestattung und ein Haselnussröstplatz in Coswig, Lkr. Wittenberg, Mitteldeutschland
359 Mario Küßner Mesolithic burials and loose human bones on the northern edge of the Thuringian mountains in Central Germany Mesolithische Bestattungen und einzelne menschliche Knochen am Nordrand der Thüringer Gebirge in Mitteldeutschland
373 Jörg Orschiedt and Claus-Joachim Kind Mesolithic human remains from Southern Germany Mesolithische Menschenreste aus Süddeutschland
385 Bernhard Gramsch The Mesolithic burials of North-Eastern Germany – synopsis and new aspects Die mesolithischen Gräber im Nordosten Deutschlands – Synopsis und neue Aspekte
401 Maha Ismail-Weber A burial on the edge of the Oderbruch Eine Bestattung am Rand des Oderbruchs 419 Bettina Jungklaus, Andreas Kotula and Thomas Terberger New investigations into the Mesolithic burial of Groß Fredenwalde, Brandenburg – first results Neue Untersuchungen am mesolithischen Grab von Groß Fredenwalde, Brandenburg – erste Resultate
435 Stefan Pratsch The old woman from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Die alte Frau aus Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Band II
439 Zofia Sulgostowska New data concerning Mesolithic burials in Polish territory Neue Daten zu mesolithischen Bestattungen auf dem Gebiet Polens
457 Łukasz Maurycy Stanaszek and Hanna Man´kowska-Pliszka A new osteological analysis of Janisławice Man Eine neue osteologische Analyse des Mannes von Janisławice
465 Witold Gumin´ski and Karolina Bugajska Exception as a rule. Unusual Mesolithic cemetery and other graves at Dudka and Szczepanki, Masuria, NE-Poland Die Ausnahme als Regel. Ungewöhnlicher mesolithischer Friedhof und andere Gräber bei Dudka und Szczepanki, Masuren, NO-Polen
511 Karolina Bugajska and Witold Gumin´ski How many steps to heaven? Loose human bones and secondary burials at Dudka and Szczepanki, the Stone Age foragers’ sites in Masuria, NE-Poland Wie viele Stufen zum Himmel? Einzelne menschliche Knochen und Sekundärbestattungen bei Dudka und Szczepanki, den steinzeitlichen Wildbeuterfundstellen in Masuren, NO-Polen
545 Emily Hellewell and Nicky Milner Analyses of the placement of disarticulated human remains in Stone Age shell middens in Europe Analysen zur Platzierung von disartikulierten menschlichen Resten in steinzeitlichen Molluskenhaufen in Europa
555 Rick J. Schulting Holes in the world: the use of caves for burial in the Mesolithic Löcher in der Welt: Die Nutzung von Höhlen für Bestattungen im Mesolithikum
569 Marcel J.L.Th. Niekus, Patrick H.J.I. Ploegaert, Jørn T. Zeiler and Liesbeth Smits A small Middle Mesolithic cemetery with cremation burials from Rotterdam, the Netherlands Ein kleiner mittelmesolithischer Friedhof mit Brandbestattungen von Rotterdam, Niederlande
593 Leendert Louwe Kooijmans, Tom Hamburg and Liesbeth Smits Burial and non-burial at Late Mesolithic Hardinxveld (NL) Bestattung und Nicht-Bestattung beim spätmesolithischen Hardinxveld (NL)
609 Éva David The bone pins from Téviec (Morbihan, France) illuminate Mesolithic social organisation Knochenpfrieme aus Téviec (Morbihan, Frankreich) beleuchten die soziale Organisation im Mesolithikum
629 Rita Peyroteo Stjerna Roots of death: origins of human burial and the research on Early Holocene mortuary practices in the Iberian Peninsula Wurzeln des Todes: Ursprünge der menschlichen Bestattung und die Erforschung frühholozäner Bestattungs- sitten auf der Iberischen Halbinsel 645 Mary Jackes and David Lubell Muge Mesolithic burials, a synthesis on mortuary archaeology Die mesolithischen Bestattungen von Muge, eine Synthese zur Gräberarchäologie
673 Olívia Figueiredo, Cláudia Umbelino and Nuno Bicho Mortuary variability at Moita do Sebastião & Cabeço da Amoreira (Muge, central Portugal) Variabilität in den Bestattungen bei Moita do Sebastião & Cabeço da Amoreira (Muge, Mittelportugal)
683 Cláudia Umbelino, Célia Gonçalves, Olívia Figueiredo, Telmo Pereira, João Cascalheira, João Marreiros and Nuno Bicho Human burials in the Mesolithic of Muge and the origins of social differentiation: the case of Cabeço da Amoreira, Portugal Menschliche Bestattungen im Mesolithikum von Muge und die Ursprünge der sozialen Differenzierung: Der Fall vom Cabeço da Amoreira, Portugal
693 Pablo Arias Grave goods in the Mesolithic of southern Europe: an overview Grabbeigaben im Mesolithikum Südeuropas: Ein Überblick
705 Xavier Terradas, Juan F. Gibaja, Maria Eulàlia Subirà, F. Javier Santos, Lidia Agulló, Isabel Gómez-Martínez, Florence Allièse, Javier Fernández-López de Pablo, Eva Fernández, Cristina Gamba, Eduardo Arroyo and José Aparicio The Mesolithic cemetery of El Collado. State of the art and new results Der mesolithische Friedhof von El Collado. Neuester Stand und neue Resultate
719 Patrice Courtaud, Hans C. Petersen, Aurélie Zemour, Franck Leandri and Joseph Cesari The Mesolithic burial of Campu Stefanu (Corsica, France) Das mesolithische Grab von Campu Stefanu (Korsika, Frankreich)
733 Rita T. Melis and Margherita Mussi Mesolithic burials at S’Omu e S’Orku (SOMK) on the south-western coast of Sardinia Die mesolithischen Bestattungen bei S’Omu e S’Orku (SOMK) an der südwestlichen Küste von Sardinien
741 Federica Fontana, Antonio Guerreschi, Stefano Bertola, François Briois and Sara Ziggiotti The Castelnovian burial of Mondeval de Sora (San Vito di Cadore, Belluno, Italy): evidence for changes in the social organisation of Late Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in north-eastern Italy Das Castelnovien Grab von Mondeval de Sora (San Vito di Cadore, Belluno, Italien): Belege für Änderungen in der sozialen Organisation bei spätmesolithischen Jäger-Sammlern im nordöstlichen Italien
757 Adina Boroneant¸ and Clive Bonsall The Icoana burials in context Die Icoana-Bestattungen im Kontext
781 Kristiina Mannermaa Good to eat and good to think? Evidence of the consumption of ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) and white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) in the Late Mesolithic at Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov, NW Russia Gut zu essen und gut zu denken? Hinweise auf den Verzehr von Fischadlern (Pandion haliaetus) und Seeadlern (Haliaeetus albicilla) im Spätmesolithikum auf der südlichen Hirschinsel [Olenij Ostrov], NW Russland
793 Svetlana V. Oshibkina Funeral rituals of the population of the Eastern Lake Onega region (based on materials from Popovo and Peschanitsa cemeteries) Bestattungsriten der Bevölkerung in der Region am östlichen Onega-See (nach dem Material der Friedhöfe von Popovo und Peschanitsa)
809 Jörg Orschiedt Bodies, bits and pieces II: the Late Palaeolithic and Early Mesolithic burial practices in Europe Körper und Einzelteile II: Bestattungspraktiken im Spätpaläolithikum und Frühmesolithikum Europas 827 Birgit Gehlen No future? No past? Mesolithic heritage in Neolithic burials Ohne Zukunft? Ohne Vergangenheit? Mesolithisches Erbe in neolithischen Bestattungen
851 Johan Jelsma Subsistence and status at Port au Choix, Newfoundland, Canada: Maritime Archaic Indian mortuary practices and social structure Ernährung und Status bei Port au Choix, Neufundland, Kanada: Bestattungssitten und Sozialstrukturen der Indianer des maritimen Archaikums
865 Glen H. Doran and Geoffrey P. Thomas Windover: an overview Windover: Ein Überblick
885 Ruth Struwe Ethnological records of Australia’s sub-recent indigenes – their treatment of corpses before final disposal Über die Totenbehandlung vor einer abschließenden Beisetzung nach ethnologischen Quellen zu subrezenten Ureinwohnern Australiens
903 Lars Larsson Final comments
909 Programme of the international conference on »Mesolithic burials – Rites, symbols and social organisation of early postglacial communities«, Halle (Saale), 18th–21st September 2013
Roots of death: origins of human burial and the research on Early Holocene mortuary practices in the Iberian Peninsula
Rita Peyroteo Stjerna
Zusammenfassung Summary
Wurzeln des Todes: Ursprünge der menschlichen In the context of postglacial environmental changes, the new Bestattung und die Erforschung frühholozäner form of settlement known to exist in the Late Mesolithic seems Bestattungssitten auf der Iberischen Halbinsel to be followed by a different relationship to death. In the archaeological record, this is well observed in the shell mid- Im Zuge der nacheiszeitlichen Umweltveränderungen folgte den sites known in both the Tagus and Sado valleys in Portu- anscheinend mit der für das Spätmesolithikum bekannten gal, with c. 376 human burials of both sexes and ages, mostly neuen Siedlungsweise auch ein anderes Verhältnis zum Tod. individual primary depositions. This concentration of human Im archäologischen Befund ist dies gut an den Muschel- remains and the regular practice of funerary burial are in haufenfundstellen festzustellen, die sowohl im Tejo- als auch apparent contrast with the archaeological record for previous im Sado-Tal in Portugal mit insgesamt ca. 376 menschli- phases, at least in the Iberian Peninsula. chen Bestattungen beiderlei Geschlechts und verschiedenen Here, I present a review of the archaeological data availa- Altersgruppen bekannt sind. Es sind mehrheitlich primäre ble for the mortuary practices of the Early Holocene, i.e. Early Körperbestattungen mit einem Individuum. Diese Konzentra- Mesolithic, in the Iberian Peninsula, prior to these Late Meso- tion von menschlichen Überresten und die jetzt regelmäßig lithic cemeteries in the Tagus and Sado valleys, and attempt praktizierten Bestattungen stehen offenbar im Gegensatz zu to trace back in time the possible origins of this behaviour in den archäologischen Zeugnissen aus den vorherigen Phasen, the hunter-gatherer mortuary tradition. zumindest auf der Iberischen Halbinsel. Hier präsentiere ich einen Überblick über die vorhandenen archäologischen Daten zu den Bestattungssitten des frühen Holozäns, d.h. des frühen Mesolithikums auf der Iberischen Halbinsel vor den spätmesolithischen Gräberfeldern im Tejo- und Sado-Tal. Es wird versucht, die möglichen Ursprünge die- ses Verhaltens in den Jäger-Sammler-Bestattungstraditionen zeitlich zurückzuverfolgen.
Introduction of these newly formed estuaries at the Tagus and Sado riv- ers (see for e.g. Arnaud 1989; Araújo 2oo3), is unique in the The history of death is entangled with the history of chang- Iberian Peninsula. The concentration of human remains and ing social values, as shown by anthropological and sociolog- the regular practice of funerary burial are also in apparent ical research, as well as by philosophical and theological contrast to the archaeological record for previous phases and approaches to death studies. In this view, the shift in the contemporaneous sites in the Peninsula. meaning of death, i.e. death’s paradigm shift, will be con- The aim of this study is to review the archaeological data sistent with the changes of world-view of a given society available for the mortuary practices of the earliest stages of (Davies 2oo5), and potentially given material form in the the Holocene, i.e. Early Mesolithic, in the Iberian Peninsula, archaeological record. prior to these Late Mesolithic cemeteries in the Tagus and In the context of postglacial environmental changes, Sado valleys, and attempt to trace back in time the possible the new form of settlement in the Late Mesolithic seems to origins of this behaviour in the mortuary tradition. occur with a different relationship to death. In the archaeo- The data collected for the time span of more than three logical record, this is well documented in the Late Mesolithic millennia (c. 11 65o–8ooo cal BP) shows evidence for the shell midden sites known in both the Tagus and Sado valleys manipulation of human remains, but the practice of funer- in Portugal (Fig. 1), with at least 376 human burials of both ary burial was very rare. The data also suggests that mor- sexes and various ages, mostly individual primary deposi- tuary practices vary regionally and discontinuously. Thus, tions (Arnaud 1989; Bicho et al. 2o13; Cunha/Cardoso 2oo1; I suggest that the origins of the mortuary behaviour known 2oo3; Cunha/Umbelino 1997; Jackes/Meiklejohn 2oo8; for the last hunter-gatherers of the Tagus and Sado valleys Meiklejohn et al. 2oo9; Roksandic´ 2oo6; Diniz et al. 2o14; cannot be explained by demic or cultural diffusion; rather, Peyroteo Stjerna 2o16). This form of settlement, with the its origins are local, related to regional constraints and intrin- formation of large shell middens clustered by the margins sic to the social dynamics of these groups. This suggestion
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 630 Rita Peyroteo Stjerna
Fig. 1 Map of the Iberian Peninsula with the archaeological sites discussed in the text. Sites sorted geographically and chronologically and placed schematically on the map: 1 Los Azules; 2 Tito Bustillo; 3 Cuartamentero; 4 Poza l’Egua; 5 Mazaculos II; 6 Los Canes; 7 J3; 8 Balma Guilanyà; 9 Abric Agut; 1o Casal Papagaio; 11 Toledo; 12 Pinhal da Fonte; 13 El Collado; 14 Santa Maira; 15 Penya del Comptador; 16 Vale Boi.
has never been addressed in a systematic manner examin- tant factor in settlement patterns and in the outcome of the ing death as the point of departure for the analysis of social archaeological record. change. The topic of changing attitudes towards death is a The material used for this study is based on current pub- rich avenue of research, as it parallels the history of human lished data. I have considered all archaeological sites with relationships (Davies 2oo5, 28) and, from this perspective, ob- human remains previously described in the literature pub- serving death is to observe change and continuity in human lished in English, Portuguese and Spanish, in this chrono- societies. logical scope and within this geographical area. Some sites cited in the literature were excluded from this analysis for lack of evidence and/or for the ambiguous character of the Material and methods data confirming the chronological context of the human remains. This review was intended to be as complete as The chronological scope of this study ranges from the begin- possible; acknowledging that archaeological databases are ning of the Holocene, c. 11 65o cal BP (Walker et al. 2oo9), to intrinsically fragmentary. the earliest burials known in the Tagus and Sado valleys, Following the aims of this study, this research is focused c. 83oo–8ooo cal BP (Lubell/Jackes 1985; 1988; Meiklejohn et on the act of human burial as a form of funerary behaviour, al. 1986; Cunha/Umbelino 2oo1; Cunha et al. 2oo3; Roksan- and for this reason some preliminary observations should d i c´ 2 oo6; Peyroteo Stjerna 2o16). This time period will be be made. further referred to as Early Mesolithic, and the immediate The first observation concerns the different contexts subsequent time period as Late Mesolithic. The geographical where human remains can be found. The presence of human area in focus is the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain), a remains in a site is not necessarily correlated with funerary wide area (c. 58o ooo km2) with a varied climate, geography practice. Human remains can be employed in a variety of and geology, in the borderline between the Atlantic ocean cultural contexts. Human remains can be worn as orna- and the Mediterranean sea. This variability is an impor- ments, as well as amulets and relics; can be involved in an
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 Roots of death: origins of human burial and the research on Early Holocene mortuary practices in the Iberian Peninsula 631
Fig. 2 Number of sites (46) with human remains of Early (13) and Late (24) Mesolithic 30 chronology, Iberian Peninsula. Sites of unclear context (9) are currently considered Mesolithic 25 but the chronology of the human remains is not well established (see Results section). 24 20
15
13 10 9 5
0 before c. 8000 cal BP after c. 8000 cal BP unclear context
array of ancestors and religious rituals, as well as in demon- some discrepancies in the results and these are mainly related strations of power; can be found in scenarios of violence and to availability of, and access to, data. Gallegos’s thesis (2o13) conflict, as well as in accidental contexts of death; the list on the Iberian Mesolithic confirms the Mesolithic chronology goes on. The funerary context is just one of the many con- of 195 sites out of 469 initially considered. However, five sites texts where human remains can be present. The intention- discussed in Araújo’s thesis (2o12) on the Early Mesolithic in ality of the actions should be demonstrated (Duday 2oo9), Portugal are not included in Gallegos’s inventory (Cabeço do however, because of the complexity inherent in the inter- Curral Velho, Oliveirinha 1, Pena de Mira, Pinhal da Fonte pretation of these behaviours in archaeological contexts, I and Vale de Sá). Also, two sites considered Mesolithic by Gal- have decided to include in this study all sites with human lego Lletjós (2o13) are rejected by Araújo (2o12) in a detailed remains, whether in a clear funerary context or possibly re- and well-argued analysis (Fonte Pinheiro and Cabeço de Porto lated to other acts. Marinho). Based on these studies I have reached a total of 198 A second preliminary observation is that burial, also fur- sites that can be considered to be of Early and Late Mesolithic ther referred to as inhumation, is just one of many possible chronology in the Iberian Peninsula. funerary options in the complex diversity of human funer- Of these almost 2oo sites, Gallego Lletjós (2o13) has iden- ary behaviour. Also, the act of burial is frequently just one tified 44 sites with human remains. However, the Mesolithic part of the various episodes involved in the funerary prac- chronology of the human remains in nine of these sites is tice. Burial is however one practice that is preserved rather not well established (Abrigo Grande das Bocas, Balmori, well in the archaeological record, hence the traditional inter- Bauma del Serrat del Pont, Cingle Vermell, Kobeaga II, Mas pretative focus on this practice, often ignoring other vari- Gelat, Molino de Gasparín, Santimamiñe and Tossal de la ables. As discussed above, regarding the context of occur- Roca). Also, two sites that I will discuss in this study (Abric rence of human remains, a buried corpse is not necessarily Agut and Pinhal da Fonte) were not included in Gallegos’s correlated with a funerary practice either. Human bodies list (2o13). Thus, at the moment we can consider 37 sites with can be buried in contexts of violence and conflict, as well as Mesolithic human remains and possibly nine other sites that in accidental contexts of death, just to name some examples. need further research (Tab. 2; Fig. 2). Following these preliminary observations, caution and an In the current study, these numbers should be considered evidence-based approach is essential when interpreting the as estimates for working reference, as new data, new analy- presence of human remains in archaeological contexts. ses and different criteria may challenge some of these inter- Thus, this study covers all the archaeological sites with pretations currently based on very modest evidence. reported human remains in the Iberian Peninsula, from the first three stages of the Holocene: Preboreal, Boreal and very early Atlantic (c. 11 65o–8ooo cal BP), i.e. Early Mesolithic. Iberian Peninsula: Portugal All radiocarbon dates cited in this text were calibrated (cal BP) at 95.4 % confidence intervals. For laboratory radio- In Portugal, I have identified three Early Mesolithic sites carbon determinations, reservoir effects and references refer with human remains. The human remains in these sites are to Table 1. fragmented and disarticulated bones in unknown associa- tion with other features.
Results Casal Papagaio (Cave with shell midden layers, Ourém/Ribatejo; Fig. 1,10) Two recent major works (Araújo 2o12; Gallego Lletjós 2o13) have informed the results of the present study. Both are PhD The human remains recovered from this site are the frag- theses and follow very rigorous criteria when defining or ments of at least two crania and various loose teeth. This rejecting the Mesolithic character of a site. There are, however, material corresponds to at least two individuals, one of
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 632 Rita Peyroteo Stjerna riarte et al. 2005 al. et riarte I érez 2008 érez 2008 érez 2008 érez 2008 uixé et al. 2009 al. et uixé uixé et al. 2009 al. et uixé oares 2008 G G arralda2009 arralda2009 G G onge S rak/ rak/ arcia- arcia- arvalho et al. 2008 rnaud/Bento1988 rias 2005; 2005; rias rnaud/Bento1988 rias 2005 rias 2005 rias 2005 paricio P rias et al. 2009 paricio P paricio P rnaud/Bento1988 raújo 2011 raújo 2011 paricio P raújo 2011 raújo 2012 ura Tortosa et al. 2006 al. et Tortosa ura ura Tortosa et al. 2010 al. et Tortosa ura ernández-Tresguerres 1976 ernández-Tresguerres ernández-Tresguerres 1976 ernández-Tresguerres G G Vaquero et al. 2002 al. et Vaquero 2002 al. et Vaquero A M A Vaquero et al. 2002 al. et Vaquero A Vaquero et al. 2002 al. et Vaquero Vaquero et al. 2002 al. et Vaquero A A A C A A D A D A F A Reference F A A A A A A A
9731–9409 9247–8756 8717–8180 9600–9483 8380–8004 9885–9540 8765–8542 9440–9133 9686–9157 8996–8036 9495–9303 9542–9421 9735–9439 8765–8014 9465–9109 13 333–12 682 12 630–1112212 10 505–10 235 11 249–10 698 10 637–10 211 10 225–9629
11 603–11 202
11 957–11 309 11 975–11 354 15 912–15 236
10 134–9498
11 201–10 560
Calibrated BP date confidence) (95% 11 134–10 300
11 247–10 787 10 014–9510 10 113–9604
255 210 80 50 80 50 50 60 60 65 60 40 40 40 60 90 60 90 105 70 195 70 110 70 105 105 100 120 120 120 160 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 9710 ± 9185 ± 8740 ± 9120 ± 7570 ± 8470 ± 8570 ± 8870 ± 8870 ± 7640 ± 7640 ± 9895 ± 7500 ± 8395 ± 8690 ± 8690 ± 7840 ± 9650 ± 8550 ± 9660 ± 9200 ± 9430 ± 9540 ± 8300 ± 8080 ± 8080 9000 ± 9000 10 195 ± 11 095 ± 10 085 ± 10 060 ± 13 009 ± Radiocarbon (BP) age -927 -928 -281 -280 -372 -369 -260 -216 -10049 -10064 -10051 -10074 -10050 -18237 -23733 AR AR AR AR -18020 -11218 -12197 -10222 A A A A A A A v-1351(*) v-1351(*) B B B B x x x x x x r ac-1587 ac-1529 ac-1533 ac-1671 O O O O ICEN U a-34298 U a-34297 O O O H O G H AA T Beta-156025 T T O Beta-244010 n/p U Beta-197042 U CSIC Lab. no. ICEN CSIC S U S S S U III 21 4–7a middle E E 4–7a 4–7c 4–7c unknown 4–7c D, bottomD, unknown 2 C 6- n/p 2, bottom 2, 2 disturbed 3 disturbed 3 n/p 3 3d Layer bottom 3a 2 B12 D B12 20–30 2 I III III V I I , Burial, , Burial 3-childBurial, , Burial, , Burial V Burial, , Burial X Burial, , Burial X Burial, H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens C. edule C. edule C. edule C. edule C. edule H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens Charcoal Shells, Shells, T ooth, Charcoal Charcoal Charcoal Bone, Charcoal (*) Charcoal Shells (*) Bone, Bone, T ooth, Bone, Bone, Mandible, Mandible, Bone (W 3–18), 3–18), (W Bone Cranium, T ooth, Bone, Charcoal Charcoal Sample Bone, Charcoal Shells, Shells, Shells, Shells, Shells, Bone, Shells, Shells, Bone, ) ) ) ) ) ) ) T T T T T ES ES ) ES T) ) ) ) P T T T uilanyà ( uilanyà ( gut (ES) gut (ES) gut (ES) gut (ES) gut (ES) ) zules (ES) zules (ES) ES bric A bric bric A bric A bric bric A bric bric A bric oledo (P oledo (P oledo (P A Casal Papagaio (P Balma G A A Balma G A Casal Papagaio (P A Casal Papagaio (P J3 ( Los Canes (ES) Vale Boi ( Los Canes (ES) Penya del Comptador del Penya (ES) Poza l‘EguaPoza (ES) Mazaculos II (ES) Santa Maira (ES) Tito Bustillo ( Bustillo Tito Cuartamentero (ES) Los A El Collado (ES) Collado El Los A Site Casal Papagaio (P El Collado (ES) Collado El T T T (ES) Collado El Pinhal da Fonte (P Fonte da Pinhal El Collado (ES) Collado El
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 Roots of death: origins of human burial and the research on Early Holocene mortuary practices in the Iberian Peninsula 633
% % riarte et al. 2005 al. et riarte I érez 2008 érez 2008 érez 2008 érez 2008 uixé et al. 2009 al. et uixé uixé et al. 2009 al. et uixé oares 2008 G G arralda2009 arralda2009 C yr Soares, (Monge BP pers. G G 14 onge S rak/ rak/ arcia- arcia- arvalho et al. 2008 rnaud/Bento1988 rias 2005; 2005; rias rnaud/Bento1988 rias 2005 rias 2005 rias 2005 paricio P rias et al. 2009 paricio P paricio P rnaud/Bento1988 raújo 2011 raújo 2011 paricio P raújo 2011 raújo 2012 ura Tortosa et al. 2006 al. et Tortosa ura ura Tortosa et al. 2010 al. et Tortosa ura ernández-Tresguerres 1976 ernández-Tresguerres ernández-Tresguerres 1976 ernández-Tresguerres G G Vaquero et al. 2002 al. et Vaquero 2002 al. et Vaquero A M A Vaquero et al. 2002 al. et Vaquero A Vaquero et al. 2002 al. et Vaquero Vaquero et al. 2002 al. et Vaquero A A A C A A D A D A F A Reference F A A A A A A A R = ± 15 95
‰)/ Δ ‰)/ R accordingly. Casal Papagaio, Pinhal and da Fonte C = –18.7 13 δ % ( 9731–9409 9247–8756 8717–8180 9600–9483 8380–8004 9885–9540 8765–8542 9440–9133 9686–9157 8996–8036 9495–9303 9542–9421 9735–9439 8765–8014 9465–9109 13 333–12 682 12 630–1112212 10 505–10 235 11 249–10 698 10 637–10 211 10 225–9629
11 603–11 202
11 957–11 309 11 975–11 354 15 912–15 236
10 134–9498
11 201–10 560
Calibrated BP date confidence) (95% 11 134–10 300
11 247–10 787 10 014–9510 10 113–9604
255 210 80 50 80 50 50 60 60 65 60 40 40 40 60 90 60 90 105 70 195 70 110 70 105 105 100 120 120 120 160 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , C yr (Arias BP Arias 2oo5; et al. 2oo9). El Collado, burial XIII – marine 34 14 ‰ respectively (Schulting/Richards 2oo1). 9710 ± 9185 ± 8740 ± 9120 ± 7570 ± 8470 ± 8570 ± 8870 ± 8870 ± 7640 ± 7640 ± 9895 ± 7500 ± 8395 ± 8690 ± 8690 ± 7840 ± 9650 ± 8550 ± 9660 ± 9200 ± 9430 ± 9540 ± 8300 ± 8080 ± 8080 9000 ± 9000 R = 21o R = 21o 10 195 ± 11 095 ± 10 085 ± 10 060 ± 13 009 ± Radiocarbon (BP) age ‰)/ Δ ‰)/ C = –16.7 13 C yr BP (Gibaja et al. 2o15). Vale Boi: marine Boi: Vale 28 etC yr al. (Gibaja BP 2o15). δ 14 -927 -928 -281 -280 -372 -369 -260 -216 % ( -10049 -10064 -10051 -10074 -10050 -18237 -23733 AR AR AR AR -18020 -11218 -12197 -10222 A A A A A A A v-1351(*) v-1351(*) B B B B x x x x x x r ac-1587 ac-1529 ac-1533 ac-1671 O O O O ICEN U a-34298 U a-34297 O O O H O G H AA T Beta-156025 T T O Beta-244010 n/p U Beta-197042 U CSIC Lab. no. ICEN CSIC S U S S S U R = 94 ± 61 ‰)/ Δ ‰)/ C = –18.7 13 III 21 δ 4–7a middle E E 4–7a 4–7c 4–7c unknown 4–7c D, bottomD, unknown 2 C 6- n/p 2, bottom 2, 2 disturbed 3 disturbed 3 n/p 3 3d Layer bottom 3a 2 B12 D B12 20–30 2 % ( I III III V I I , Burial, , Burial 3-childBurial, , Burial, , Burial V Burial, , Burial X Burial, , Burial X Burial, H. sapiens ‰), burial‰), IV – marine 39 H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens C. edule C. edule C. edule C. edule C. edule H. sapiens C = –18.2 H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens H. sapiens C yr Soares, (Monge BP pers. and comm.). l’Egua: Poza J3 marine 48 13 δ 14 % ( Charcoal Shells, Shells, T ooth, Charcoal Charcoal Charcoal Bone, Charcoal (*) Charcoal Shells (*) Bone, Bone, T ooth, Bone, Bone, Mandible, Mandible, Bone (W 3–18), 3–18), (W Bone Cranium, T ooth, Bone, Charcoal Charcoal Sample Bone, Charcoal Shells, Shells, Shells, Shells, Shells, Bone, Shells, Shells, Bone, R = ± 15 95 %) were calculated were %) following using assumed Ambrose (1993) marine and terrestrial and endpoints –21 –12 of %/ Δ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) T T T T T ES ES ) ES ‰), burial‰), VI – marine 33 T) ) ) ) P T T T uilanyà ( uilanyà ( gut (ES) gut (ES) gut (ES) gut (ES) gut (ES) List radiocarbon of dates discussed in the text. sorted Sites geographically and chronologically, according Figure to Samples Note: 1. calibrated were through OxCal (Bronk v4.2 Ramsey 2oo9) using curve IntCal13 ) zules (ES) zules (ES) ES C = –18.1 13 bric A bric bric A bric A bric bric A bric bric A bric oledo (P oledo (P oledo (P comm.). Marine diets 1o (± has been described(*) The sample Hv-1351 either as a sample shells of (Arnaud/Bento as or 1988) charcoal Soares (Monge 2oo8). The earliest publication this of measurement does describe not (Kalb the 1981) nature the of sample. 1 Tab. ( δ (Reimer et al. 2o13) for terrestrial for (Reimer et al. samples. 2o13) Marine samples and human samples with mixed diet calibrated were using curve Marine13 and regional (Reimer et al. Δ 2o13) shells, marineToledo: 1oo A Casal Papagaio (P Balma G A A Balma G A Casal Papagaio (P A Casal Papagaio (P J3 ( Los Canes (ES) Vale Boi ( Los Canes (ES) Penya del Comptador del Penya (ES) Poza l‘EguaPoza (ES) Mazaculos II (ES) Santa Maira (ES) Tito Bustillo ( Bustillo Tito Cuartamentero (ES) Los A El Collado (ES) Collado El Los A Site Casal Papagaio (P El Collado (ES) Collado El T T T (ES) Collado El Pinhal da Fonte (P Fonte da Pinhal El Collado (ES) Collado El
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whom has been identified as a young adult (Arnaud/Bento Other sites 1988, 32). There are also some perforated shells of Theodoxus fluviatilis, but their possible association with the human Vale Boi is an open-air site located in the Algarve (Fig. 1,16), remains is unknown. in use at least during the Upper Palaeolithic [area 1: slope] The only campaign reported at this cave was a rescue exca- and the Early Neolithic [area 2: terrace] (Carvalho et al. vation in 1988. Arnaud and Bento (1988, 33) have confirmed 2oo8). The human remains recovered from this site in 2oo4 that this was the same site as a cave briefly mentioned in the are just one tooth (a molar) with a direct date ranging from 197os. Despite the unclear data from these first reports, this 838o to 8oo4 cal BP (Tab. 1). This tooth was found in area site has been previously described as a cave with a shell mid- 2, in the Early Neolithic layers, and according to the exca- den, human bones, and a lithic industry similar to the Muge vators it is probably not in its original context. If there is a material (Veiga Ferreira/Leitão 1981; Zbyszewski et al. 1974). Mesolithic occupation in this site, it has not yet been found The published context of the human remains is not very (Carvalho et al. 2oo8). This date puts this tooth in the com- clear. However, even without direct radiocarbon dates, the plex border between the Early and the Late Mesolithic and is excavators have considered these human remains to be Early already contemporaneous with the earliest inhumations in Holocene (Arnaud/Bento 1988, 33). The earliest phase of both the Tagus and Sado valleys. For this reason, this site is this site is attributed to the Early Mesolithic (Preboreal and listed with the sites with human remains of Late Mesolithic Boreal) currently based on three dates on charcoal and shells chronology (Tab. 2), and is therefore excluded from the pres- ranging from 11 247 to 9157 cal BP (Tab. 1). ent analysis. There is no evidence for earlier or later uses of this cave, Another site initially considered in this study was Abrigo except for some skeletons of very recent fauna (Arnaud/ Grande das Bocas in Rio Maior. This rock shelter is a Late Bento 1988, 32). Nevertheless, this archaeological context is Magdalenian/Mesolithic site with a top layer with finds that disturbed and in the scope of this study it should be consid- go from the Early Neolithic to the Middle Ages. Layer 1 (top) ered with caution. is interpreted as probably Mesolithic (Bicho 1997, 63) and this is the layer where we have the description of the recov- Toledo (Open-air shell midden, Vimeiro/Estremadura; ery of human bones. The nature and context of these bones Fig. 1,11) is unclear; therefore this site was discarded from the present analysis. The human remains recovered from this site are various loose teeth, a fragment of a femur and two foot phalanges. This material corresponds to one or possibly two individu- Summary of results, Portugal als (Gonçalves 2o11). The human remains were recovered scattered throughout the site in no apparent association. A common problem in all these sites is related to the archaeo- However, both the femur and the two foot phalanges were logical contexts that were partially or almost completely recovered in the same site area (Talude). Their excavation in destroyed prior to archaeological excavations. The lack two distinct layers can be interpreted as post-depositional of direct radiocarbon dates on the human remains makes since this area was in fact disturbed by the construction of it even more problematic to rely on this material. Another a road (op. cit.). There are various perforated shells of Theo- problem is the poor description of the human remains and doxus fluviatilis, Nassarius reticulatus and Cerastoderma their archaeological context, with the exception of Toledo. edule (Dupont 2o11) scattered throughout the site but their Nevertheless, despite these limitations it is possible to make possible association with the human remains is unknown. some observations and outline some general traits. Although there are no direct radiocarbon dates on the Based on the currently available data in Portugal for the human remains of this site, these seem to be in clear associ- very early stages of the Holocene, there are only three sites ation with the Early Mesolithic layers of occupation (Araújo with human remains. One is a cave site (Casal Papagaio) and 2o11). This material was excavated between 1995 and 1998, the other two are open-air sites (Pinhal da Fonte and Toledo). with the exception of eight loose teeth recovered in previ- All three sites have shell layers (Tab. 2). ous and unpublished excavations. The site is currently dated Not surprisingly, teeth are the most common human based on three dates on shells ranging from 1o 113 to 9439 remains preserved, with one interesting exception (Pinhal cal BP (Tab. 1). da Fonte). In two of these sites we have fragments of two other types of bones that preserve well: a femur (Toledo) Pinhal da Fonte (Open-air shell midden, S. Pedro Cadeira/Estrema- and a cranium (Casal Papagaio). In this context Pinhal da dura; Fig. 1,12) Fonte is an interesting case of preservation, or bone manipu- lation, with no teeth or long bones, but a fragment of a bone The human remains recovered at this site are just one frag- not commonly preserved: the scapula. So far, there are no ment of a scapula (acromion), excavated in 1986 (Zilhão/ reports of cut marks or any other anthropic marks on any Lubell 1987) still undated and apparently found in the shell of these bones. The human remains are disarticulated and midden layers. This site is attributed to the Early Mesolithic fragmented and show no direct evidence for Early Meso- (Araújo 2o12) based on lithic analysis and on one radiocar- lithic burial practice. bon date on shell ranging from 9465 to 91o9 cal BP (Tab. 1).
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Iberian Peninsula: Spain Poza l’Egua (Rock shelter with shell midden layers, Llanes/Asturias; Fig. 1,4) In Spain, I have identified ten sites with Early Mesolithic human remains. In addition to the record for fragmented The human remains recovered from this site in 2ooo are and disarticulated human remains, there are clear examples one isolated mandible of an adult male found in the shell of human burial and reports of anthropic marks in some of midden layers (Arias [Cabal] et al. 2oo7; 2oo9, 652). There is this material as well. one direct radiocarbon date on this individual ranging from 9731 to 94o9 cal BP (Tab. 1). Los Azules (Cave, Cangas de Onís/Asturias; Fig. 1,1) Mazaculos II (Cave with shell midden layers, La Franca/Asturias; The human remains recovered from this site are one inhu- Fig. 1,5) mation of a possibly complete adult male. This material corresponds to one individual (Garralda 1986) and was The human remains recovered from this site are one frag- excavated in 1975 (Fernández-Tresguerres 1976; Garralda ment of a mandible (Gonzáles Morales 1995, 75) of an adult, 1986). There are no direct radiocarbon dates on the human possibly male (Drak/Garralda 2oo9, 273). This material was remains, due to lack of collagen (Arias 2oo5, 362; Meikle- recovered in 1993 from disturbed layers (Gonzáles Morales john 2oo9, 12). According to the original descriptions 1995, 75) but was dated by P. Arias (Drak/Garralda 2oo9, (Fernández-Tresguerres 1976, 769), this was a well-prepared 273) and ranges from 8765 to 8542 cal BP (Tab. 1). grave, and the burial was undisturbed between layers 3a and 3d, which were dated and range from 11 2o1 to 1o 3oo J3 (Rock shelter with shell midden layers, Gipuzkoa/Basque Country; cal BP (Tab. 1). Some fauna is described in association with Fig. 1,7) the burial (Arias/Álvarez-Fernández 2oo4; Arias et al. 2oo9, 65o). This context is also reported as one of the few well doc- The human remains recovered from this site are poorly pre- umented uses of ochre in the Peninsula (Arias 2o1o, 84) for served but are possibly a complete adult male. This material this early period. corresponds to one individual, in primary position, laid in the bottom of the shell layers (Iriarte et al. 2oo5; Iriarte-Chia- Tito Bustillo (Cave, Ribadesella/Asturias; Fig. 1,2) pusso et al. 2o1o). There is one direct radiocarbon date on this individual ranging from 944o to 9133 cal BP (Tab. 1). The human remains recovered from this site correspond to possibly one complete male adult (Drak/Garralda 2oo9, 267). Abric Agut (Rock shelter, Barcelona/Catalonia; Fig. 1,9) This individual was partially excavated in the late 196os and finally completely recovered in the early ooo2 s (Arias et al. The human remains recovered at this site are one fragment 2oo9, 651; Drak/Garralda 2oo9, 266–267). of a temporal bone and various loose teeth. This material According to the excavators this individual was not may correspond to one to five individuals (Meiklejohn oo2 9, deposited in a pit but laid on the floor of the cave, hence not 1o), however, Campillo and colleagues (1999, 4o) consider buried. The body was in partial anatomical connection and the hypothesis that they are the remains of a single individ- small bones, like foot phalanges, were also documented. It ual. This material was excavated in 191o–1914 [four teeth] has not been possible to determine if the body was originally and 1976 [one tooth] (Campillo et al. 1999, 41; Vaquero et al. covered (Arias 2o1o, 87) but there are remains of red colour- 2oo2, 954) but the small fragment of temporal bone was only ant associated with the skeleton (Arias et al. 2oo9, 651). This found during a revision of the 191o–1914 material (Campillo individual was found lying deep inside the cave, far from et al. 1999). the entrance (Arias 2o12, 8). This site has been attributed to the Middle Palaeolithic, This site is known for its Palaeolithic phase and the bur- but it was recently re-interpreted as Early Holocene/Early ial was initially considered Magdalenian (Arias/Álvarez- Mesolithic (Vaquero et al. 2oo2). The site is currently dated Fernández 2oo4, 227). However, the human remains have a based on five dates on charcoal ranging from 11 975 to 1o 235 direct date ranging from 9542 to 9421 cal BP (Tab. 1). cal BP (Tab. 1); with no direct dates on the human remains.
Cuartamentero (Cave with shell midden layers, Llanes/Asturias; El Collado (Open-air shell midden, Oliva/Valencia; Fig. 1,13) Fig. 1,3) The human remains recovered at this site consist of 15 bur- The human remains recovered at this site are one fragment ied individuals in primary position, of both sexes and var- of the cranium of an adult, possibly male, and various loose ious ages (Aura Tortosa 2o1o, 36). This material was exca- teeth (Drak/Garralda 2oo9; Meiklejohn 2oo9, 9), correspond- vated in 1987–1989 and there is a new project re-examining ing to at least one individual. This material was collected this collection (Gibaja et al. 2o15; cf. Terradas et al. in the in the 196os by amateurs visiting and excavating at the site present volume). Three graves were dated by the first pro- (Arias 2oo5, 364). Although the context is unknown, the cra- ject dedicated to this site, ranging from 1o 134 to 8o14 cal BP nium was dated by P. Arias (Drak/Garralda 2oo9, 272) rang- (Tab. 1). ing from 9495 to 93o3 cal BP (Tab. 1). This is the only Mesolithic site in Spain with more than ten burials and the only site in the Iberian Peninsula with a large quantity of human remains from the Early Mesolithic.
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Santa Maira (Cave, Alicante/Valencia; Fig. 1,14) Summary of results, Spain
The human remains recovered from this site consist of 3o Based on the currently available data, in Spain, for the very bone fragments corresponding to at least two adults (Aura early stages of the Holocene, there are ten sites with human Tortosa et al. 2o1o, 17o), possibly three (Aura et al. 2o11, 355). remains, concentrated in three major areas: one Atlantic and This material was recovered scattered throughout the site two Mediterranean (Fig. 1). Of these ten sites, nine are cave/ and, according to Aura Tortosa and colleagues (2o1o), some rock shelter sites and only one is an open-air site (El Collado). of these fragments show evidence for cut marks made by Only four of these sites have shell layers (Tab. 2). stone tools, intentional fracturing and thermal alteration. The human remains recovered in half of these sites corre- It has been suggested that these body parts were possibly spond to disarticulated and fragmented bones (Cuartamen- consumed, but this cultural interpretation for the process- tero, Poza l’Egua, Mazaculos II, Abric Agut and Santa Maira) ing of body parts requires further research (Aura Tortosa with reports of anthropic marks in one site (Santa Maira). et al. 2o1o, 172). One bone fragment (Santa Maira W 3–18) The human remains recovered from the other five sites (Los is dated ranging from 9885 to 954o cal BP (Tab. 1). Never- Azules, Tito Bustillo, J3, El Collado and Penya del Comptador) theless, this site has a long sequence of occupation from the correspond to complete, or almost complete individuals, at Upper Palaeolithic to the Neolithic (op. cit.). least partially articulated. There is clear evidence for human burial in at least three sites (Los Azules, J3 and El Collado) Penya del Comptador (Rock shelter, Baetic Mountains/Valencia; showing a positive indication of Early Mesolithic burial prac- Fig. 1,15) tice, in both cave/rock shelter sites and open-air sites.
The human remains recovered from this site are the par- tially preserved skeletal remains of at least three individu- Discussion als, one adult, a juvenile [c. 15 years old] and a child [c. 8–9 years old] (Aura Tortosa 2o1o). Following this review it is important to evaluate the influ- This site was excavated in 2ooo (Aura Tortosa 2o1o, 36) ence of preservation and research bias in the results. The and very limited contextual information has been published. first aspect to consider concerns the preservation of organic One of these individuals has a direct radiocarbon date rang- material in the Mesolithic sites known in the Iberian Penin- ing from 96oo to 9483 cal BP (Tab. 1), but it is unclear which sula. As discussed, human remains are preserved in less than individual was dated. 25 % of the c. 2oo Early and Late Mesolithic sites known in Iberia (Fig. 2). However, 117 of these sites have fauna assem- blages (Gallego Lletjós 2o13, 452), which correspond to bone Other sites preservation in at least 6o % of the sites. Moreover, some of these sites have been excavated quite intensively, and if Los Canes is a cave in Asturias (Fig. 1,6) with at least three these sites had human remains, these would have been pre- Late Mesolithic burials (Arias 2oo5; Arias et al. 2oo9), and served and found, at least in many of them. an isolated Magdalenian human bone with a date ranging The second aspect is related to inevitable research bias. from 15 912 to 15 236 cal BP (Tab. 1). Another individual It is true that the concentration of sites with human remains recovered from this cave has a direct radiocarbon date rang- corresponds to the areas where archaeological research is ing from 8996 to 8o36 cal BP (Tab. 1); however, this sample also more intense (Gallego Lletjós 2o13). Also, and despite did not yield any isotopic results (Arias 2oo5) and without the geoclimatic variability in Iberia, it has been shown that further analyses this date has a relative degree of uncer- when a specialised systematic survey is done, new sites tainty. Nevertheless, this date falls into the complex border are identified (Arias et al. 2oo9a). Yet new finds have been between the Early and the Late Mesolithic and is possibly very limited and have not changed the current Mesolithic already contemporaneous with the earliest inhumations in paradigm for settlement patterns, despite recent survey pro- both the Tagus and Sado valleys. For this reason, this site is grammes and large archaeological rescue projects developed listed with the sites with human remains of Late Mesolithic in the context of local construction and land development. chronology (Tab. 2), and is therefore excluded from the pres- The visibility of these sites is also an important issue to con- ent analysis. sider. The apparent lack of open-air sites without shell lay- ers and potentially with human remains could be a result of Balma Guilanyà, a rock shelter in Catalonia (Fig. 1,8), had research bias, as these sites are obviously more difficult to fragmentary remains of three individuals: one adult, one identify than caves or shell middens. sub-adult and one child (Garcia-Guixé et al. 2oo9; Meikle- This is certainly an incomplete record and further john 2oo9). The context is unclear but there are two direct research will most probably add new sites to this catalogue. dates on this material, ranging from 13 333 to 11 212 cal BP Thus, it seems likely that the rarity of human remains is a (Tab. 1). This material is on average slightly older than the real pattern, because currently, less than 25 % of Early and scope of this research. Nevertheless, because of the rarity of Late Mesolithic sites have human remains; while 6o % have this type of find it is mentioned here, although not consid- well known fauna assemblages. ered in the general discussion. According to the current data, the presence of human remains is more common in cave/rock shelter contexts in the Early Mesolithic (Tab. 2; Fig. 3).
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 Roots of death: origins of human burial and the research on Early Holocene mortuary practices in the Iberian Peninsula 637
open-air cave/ 3 (23 %) rock shelter 8 (33 %)
cave/ open-air 16 (67 %) rock shelter 10 (77 %)
Fig. 3 Sites (13) with preserved human remains of Early Mesolithic Fig. 4 Sites (24) with preserved human remains of Late Mesolithic chronology, Iberian Peninsula. Site contexts: cave/rock shelter (1o) and chronology, Iberian Peninsula. Site contexts: cave/rock shelter (8) and open-air (3). open-air (16).
The use of caves/rock shelters for the disposal of human Interestingly, the sites with shell midden layers tend to con- remains seems to decrease through time during the Meso- tain more inhumations than the sites without (Tab. 2). This lithic. Yet this practice is not abandoned when open-air sites relationship is possibly not a result of preservation but of become the most common option for the disposal of human cultural choice. remains (Tab. 2; Fig. 4). Summing up, the contexts with human remains in the At the same time, during the Late Mesolithic, there is an Early Mesolithic are frequently caves or rock shelters with or increase of sites with human remains (Fig. 2) accompanied without shell layers. If we do not consider the new concen- by the intensification of burial practice (Tab. 2; Fig. 5). How- tration of open-air sites in the Tagus and Sado valleys this ever, this increase in open-air sites with large numbers of outline does not change during the Late Mesolithic. The sta- human burials is concentrated in the Tagus and Sado valleys tistical growth of burial practice in open-air shell middens in Portugal, where 12 of these sites are located with c. 376 is outstanding, due to the data from the Tagus and Sado val- inhumations (Tab. 2; Fig. 5). leys. Otherwise, the data for both Early and Late Mesolithic Another aspect shown by the data is that the shell mid- does not differ. den/shell layer component is not a determinant variable A last point to evaluate is the intentionality of the prac- for the presence of human remains during the Mesolithic. tices in the 13 sites with Early Mesolithic human remains, There is evidence for the disposal and preservation of bone analysed in this study. Only three sites (Los Azules, J3 and in both situations, with and without shell layers (Tab. 2). El Collado) show clear evidence for funerary burial practice.
450
400
350
300
250
200 376
150 Fig. 5 Minimum number of individuals (MNI) recovered from 37 sites with preserved human 100 remains of Early and Late Mesolithic chronol- ogy, Iberian Peninsula. Before c. 8ooo cal BP: 50 32 MNI 32/13 sites. After c. 8ooo cal BP: MNI 0 21 397/24 sites; of which MNI 376/12 sites in the before c. 8000 cal BP after c. 8000 cal BP Tagus and Sado valleys, and MNI 21/12 sites elsewhere in the Iberian Peninsula (Tab. 2).
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 638 Rita Peyroteo Stjerna x SL x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x OA x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x C/RS x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Human remainsHuman inhumations inhumation inhumations inhumations complete individual inhumations frag. cranium; loose teeth loose cranium; frag. mandible inhumations frag. mandible inhumation frag. temporal bone; loose teeth loose bone; temporal frag. inhumation inhumations frag. cranium inhumations cranial fragments; loose teeth loose fragments; cranial inhumation inhumations frag. scapula loose teeth; frag. femur; foot phalanges foot femur; frag. teeth; loose inhumations inhumations; isolated bones isolated inhumations; inhumations inhumations 30 fragments; anthropic marks various human bones inhumations inhumations? tooth various human bones frag. vertebra inhumations inhumation inhumations complete individuals inhumations
arralda 2009 arralda G lària et al. 2005 al. et lària lmazara2002 ardoso 2001; 2001; ardoso O A C iniz et al. 2014 arralda 2009 arralda arralda 2009 arralda D rak/ oksandic´ 2006 oksandic´ G G mbelino 1997 R ava U C unha/ arralda 2009 arralda C G D rak/ D rak/ unha/ ernández 2004 ernández ernández 2004 ernández aestu/ F F M D rak/ orales 1995; 1995; orales M eiklejohn 2008 eiklejohn ambero et al. 2006 uyoles 2002/03; uyoles uixé et al. 2009 al. et uixé mbelino 1997 mbelino mbelino 1997; D mbelino 1997 mbelino mbelino 1997 mbelino mbelino 1997 mbelino ardoso 2003 ardoso ardoso 2003; 2003; ardoso P G M G agarna et al. 2008 U U U U U C abal et al. 2007 ncinas et al. 2008 eiklejohn et al. 2009 eiklejohn et al. 2009 uñoz- onzáles onçalves 2011 onçalves arralda 1986 arcia- lària i lària oksandic´ 2006 oksandic´ ampillo et al. 1999 arvalho et al. 2008 unha/ rias et al. 2009; 2009; al. et rias unha/ unha/ rnaud 1989; C rias 2005; 2005; rias unha/ rias C unha/ rnaud/Bento1988 rias et al. 2009; 2009; al. et rias unha/ rias/Álvarez- rias/Álvarez- ura Tortosa 2010 Tortosa ura ura [Tortosa] et al. 2010; 2011 2010; al. et [Tortosa] ura ura Tortosa 2010 Tortosa ura riarte et al. 2005 al. et riarte G Reference C C C unha/ A C A A C A G M C I C A Barandiarán Lubell et al. 2007 Lubell/Jackes 1985 C G A A Zilhão/Lubell1987 A G C M M A Tapia S C A Jackes/ A Bicho et al. 2013; 2013; al. et Bicho R Vidal E O 1 MNI 32 32 or 36 1 16 1 1 6 1 2 1 26 1 1 to 5 to 1 2 1 1 2 32 to 36 to 32 1 to 2 to 1 3 to 4 to 3 15 1 2 to 3 to 2 1 110 4 to 5 2 to 3 to 2 3 1 1 1 85 1 29 2 6 ) ) ) ) T T ES ) T ) ) T ) ) T ES T ) T T) ) ) T P T ) ) ) ) ES ) T T ) T ES T T) agus (P agus (P P ES agus (P ado ( ado agus (P ountry ( ) T) S T ) P sturias (ES) sturias astilla y León ( León y astilla T ou, Valencia (ES) Valencia ou, agus (P C lentejo (P sturias (ES) sturias sturias ( sturias antabria ( sturias (ES) sturias moreiras, Sado (P sturias (ES) (ES) sturias ountry ( A sturias (ES) sturias rruda, T rruda, moreira, T moreira, ndalusia (ES) ndalusia sturias (ES) sturias . Bento, Bento, . lgarve ( nça, T avarra (ES) avarra S rintero, rintero, lentejo (P gut, Catalonia (ES) Catalonia gut, A zules, A zules, arma B, C rapouco, Sado (P bric A bric izpea, N izpea, oças de de oças lor da Beira, Tagus ( oledo, Estremaduraoledo, (P ruchiro, Cantabria (ES) Los A Site A Cova O da Tito Bustillo, Bustillo, Tito P Várzea da Mó, Sado (P Mó, da Várzea Cuartamentero, A Cabeço A das Poza l‘Egua, A l‘Egua, Poza A II, Mazaculos Vale de Romeiras, Sado (P Romeiras, de Vale J3, Basque C A Casal Papagaio, Estremadura (P Samouqueira, A Samouqueira, A Higuerón, A Cabeço Sado (P Pez, do T Los Canes, A Fiais, A Fiais, El Collado, Valencia (ES) Valencia Collado, El Pinhal da Fonte, Estremadura Fonte, (P da Pinhal Santa Maira, Valencia (ES) Colomba, A Cabeço A da F Fonte Padre Pedro, T Pedro, Padre Fonte Penya del Comptador, Valencia (ES) Valencia Comptador, del Penya Linatzeta, Basque C Moita T Sebastião, do Vale Boi, A La G T Cabeço A da Braña- Cingle del Mas N Mas del Cingle
to to P eolithic 650 to 8000 to 650 P 11 c. cal B Chronology c. 8000 cal B cal 8000 c. Early N
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 Roots of death: origins of human burial and the research on Early Holocene mortuary practices in the Iberian Peninsula 639 x SL x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x OA x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x C/RS x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Human remainsHuman inhumations inhumation inhumations inhumations complete individual inhumations frag. cranium; loose teeth loose cranium; frag. mandible inhumations frag. mandible inhumation frag. temporal bone; loose teeth loose bone; temporal frag. inhumation inhumations frag. cranium inhumations cranial fragments; loose teeth loose fragments; cranial inhumation inhumations frag. scapula loose teeth; frag. femur; foot phalanges foot femur; frag. teeth; loose inhumations inhumations; isolated bones isolated inhumations; inhumations inhumations 30 fragments; anthropic marks various human bones inhumations inhumations? tooth various human bones frag. vertebra inhumations inhumation inhumations complete individuals inhumations arralda 2009 arralda G lària et al. 2005 al. et lària lmazara2002 ardoso 2001; 2001; ardoso O A C iniz et al. 2014 arralda 2009 arralda arralda 2009 arralda D rak/ oksandic´ 2006 oksandic´ G G mbelino 1997 R ava U C unha/ arralda 2009 arralda C G D rak/ D rak/ unha/ ernández 2004 ernández ernández 2004 ernández aestu/ F F M D rak/ orales 1995; 1995; orales M eiklejohn 2008 eiklejohn ambero et al. 2006 uyoles 2002/03; uyoles uixé et al. 2009 al. et uixé mbelino 1997 mbelino mbelino 1997; D mbelino 1997 mbelino mbelino 1997 mbelino mbelino 1997 mbelino ardoso 2003 ardoso ardoso 2003; 2003; ardoso P G M G agarna et al. 2008 U U U U U C abal et al. 2007 ncinas et al. 2008 eiklejohn et al. 2009 eiklejohn et al. 2009 uñoz- onzáles onçalves 2011 onçalves arralda 1986 arcia- lària i lària oksandic´ 2006 oksandic´ ampillo et al. 1999 arvalho et al. 2008 unha/ rias et al. 2009; 2009; al. et rias unha/ unha/ rnaud 1989; C rias 2005; 2005; rias unha/ rias C unha/ rnaud/Bento1988 rias et al. 2009; 2009; al. et rias unha/ rias/Álvarez- rias/Álvarez- ura Tortosa 2010 Tortosa ura ura [Tortosa] et al. 2010; 2011 2010; al. et [Tortosa] ura ura Tortosa 2010 Tortosa ura riarte et al. 2005 al. et riarte G Reference C C C unha/ A C A A C A G M C I C A Barandiarán Lubell et al. 2007 Lubell/Jackes 1985 C G A A Zilhão/Lubell1987 A G C M M A Tapia S C A Jackes/ A Bicho et al. 2013; 2013; al. et Bicho R Vidal E O 1 MNI 32 32 or 36 1 16 1 1 6 1 2 1 26 1 1 to 5 to 1 2 1 1 2 32 to 36 to 32 1 to 2 to 1 3 to 4 to 3 15 1 2 to 3 to 2 1 110 4 to 5 2 to 3 to 2 3 1 1 1 85 1 29 2 6 ) ) ) ) T T ES ) T ) ) T ) ) T ES T ) T T) ) ) T P T ) ) ) ) ES ) T T ) T ES T T) agus (P agus (P P ES agus (P ado ( ado agus (P ountry ( ) T) S T ) P sturias (ES) sturias astilla y León ( León y astilla T ou, Valencia (ES) Valencia ou, agus (P C lentejo (P sturias (ES) sturias sturias ( sturias antabria ( sturias (ES) sturias moreiras, Sado (P sturias (ES) (ES) sturias ountry ( A sturias (ES) sturias rruda, T rruda, moreira, T moreira, ndalusia (ES) ndalusia sturias (ES) sturias . Bento, Bento, . lgarve ( nça, T avarra (ES) avarra S rintero, rintero, lentejo (P gut, Catalonia (ES) Catalonia gut, A zules, A zules, arma B, C rapouco, Sado (P bric A bric izpea, N izpea, oças de de oças lor da Beira, Tagus ( oledo, Estremaduraoledo, (P ruchiro, Cantabria (ES) Los A Site A Cova O da Tito Bustillo, Bustillo, Tito P Várzea da Mó, Sado (P Mó, da Várzea Cuartamentero, A Cabeço A das Poza l‘Egua, A l‘Egua, Poza A II, Mazaculos Vale de Romeiras, Sado (P Romeiras, de Vale J3, Basque C A Casal Papagaio, Estremadura (P Samouqueira, A Samouqueira, A Higuerón, A Cabeço Sado (P Pez, do T Los Canes, A Fiais, A Fiais, El Collado, Valencia (ES) Valencia Collado, El Pinhal da Fonte, Estremadura Fonte, (P da Pinhal Santa Maira, Valencia (ES) Colomba, A Cabeço A da F Fonte Padre Pedro, T Pedro, Padre Fonte Penya del Comptador, Valencia (ES) Valencia Comptador, del Penya Linatzeta, Basque C Moita T Sebastião, do Vale Boi, A La G T Cabeço A da Braña- Cingle del Mas N Mas del Cingle
to to P eolithic Sites (37) with (37) Sites human remains Early of and Late Mesolithic chronology, Iberian Peninsula, sorted chronologically and geographically. (MNI) minimum number individuals; of (Shading) sites located in Tagus and Sado 650 to 8000 to 650 P 2 Tab. valleys; (C/RS) cave/rock open-air; shell (OA) shelter; layers. (SL) 11 c. cal B Chronology c. 8000 cal B cal 8000 c. Early N
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 640 Rita Peyroteo Stjerna
The individual from Tito Bustillo was not buried but laid on ods of time, suggesting that mortuary traditions were not the floor, deep inside a small cave. The presence of red col- transmitted continuously, as documented for the European ourant in association with this skeleton is one positive indi- Upper Palaeolithic (Pettitt 2o11, 232) as well. cation for funerary practice, and its placement in the very This variability and discontinuity in the mortuary prac- interior of a small cave shows an evident concern with the tices emphasises that burial practice is not the end point of placement of the body in a secluded space. a development of a funerary practice, or the end point of The data is unclear at Toledo and Penya del Comptador. an internal social development of hunter-gatherers either. However, these contexts could be the result of funerary prac- Burial practice is one of many possible cultural options for tice – represented by the remains of possibly disturbed bur- the treatment of the dead, many of these not visible in the ials or other forms of funerary disposal – and/or manipula- archaeological record. Also, burial practice is not neces- tion of human remains with various other intentions. sarily more complex than any other cultural option for the Six sites (Casal Papagaio, Pinhal da Fonte, Cuartamen- treatment of the dead, to which can be added that absence tero, Poza l’Egua, Mazaculos II and Abric Agut) show no of burial is not equivalent to absence of mortuary practice evidence for burial practice, but the funerary interpretation either. From this perspective, mortuary practices cannot be is possible. In this case, these sites could provide data for approached in a progressive evolutionary way: burial is not practices of funerary caching, possibly related to secondary a next step of directional development for hunter-gatherers. manipulation of human bones. Other practices, not funer- Based on the current empirical data I cannot argue for ary, cannot be discarded as possible interpretations. a »behaviour tradition« leading to the mortuary practices Finally, Santa Maira shows clear evidence for complex known at the shell middens of Tagus and Sado valleys. On manipulation of human remains, however, not necessarily the contrary, we see a clear discontinuity in the archaeolog- related to a funerary context. ical record, also supported by various studies on the Early In most of these sites the intentional manipulation of Mesolithic settlement pattern in the region (Araújo 2oo3; human remains is clear. Whether this behaviour is related to 2o12). Furthermore, this mortuary behaviour in the Tagus funerary practice, or other practices involving the manipula- and Sado valleys is not only in contrast with previous Early tion of human remains, is in most cases unclear. Mesolithic sites but with contemporaneous sites in the Ibe- Summing up, during the Early and Late Mesolithic in rian Peninsula – a point that stresses the regional character the Iberian Peninsula, the archaeological record shows clear of mortuary practices. This regional relationship to death is examples of manipulation of human remains, both in funer- consistent with the particular settlement pattern known in ary contexts and other possible circumstances. In continuity this region, also unique in the Iberian Peninsula – with the with what is known for the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic formation of large shell midden sites clustered by the bor- (Pettitt 2o11) the data for the Early Mesolithic shows that ders of the palaeo-estuaries of the Tagus and Sado rivers. burial practice exists, but it was not common. Furthermore, Finally, it is suggested that the origins of the mortuary the data shows that mortuary behaviours vary regionally behaviour known for the last hunter-gatherers of the Tagus and discontinuously. and Sado valleys cannot be explained by demic or cultural diffusion, rather, its roots are local, related to regional con- straints and intrinsic to the social dynamics of these groups. Conclusion The archaeological record points to a local paradigm shift concerning death, which is arguably consistent with the Archaeological data shows that burial practice is not an changes of world-view of the last hunter-gatherers of the innovation of the Mesolithic. The origins of burial practice Tagus and Sado valleys. Yet this new relationship with go back to the Middle Palaeolithic, but until the Late Meso- death arises in the context of wider metamorphoses in the lithic these are very unusual practices (Pettitt 2o11). Follow- region, and death studies should be fully integrated in a ing this, the origins of places of systematic burial practice holistic approach to the archaeology of the last hunter-gath- go back to the Late Upper Palaeolithic (op. cit.) and become erers. more common in the Late Mesolithic in some regions, such as at the Tagus and Sado valleys, and in other regions, as well documented in this volume. Acknowledgements According to the data collected for this study, from the Early to the Late Mesolithic there is a statistical increase of I am grateful to The Portuguese National Science Founda- burial practice in the Iberian Peninsula. Also, this increase tion (FCT) for funding this research (SFRH/BD/72758/2o1o) in burial practice happens as the evidence for open-air sites and to the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History increases as well. However, this statistical growth in burial at Uppsala University for the financial support to attend the practice in open-air sites, during the Mesolithic in Iberia, is Mesolithic Burials Conference. I would like to thank Ana only valid when we add the data from the great concentra- Cristina Araújo, Mariana Diniz, Kjel Knutsson and Tore tion of inhumations from the open-air shell middens of the Stjerna for reading and commenting on an early draft of this Tagus and Sado valleys. text, António Faustino Carvalho and Miriam Cubas for pro- Generally, and accepting these results as representative of viding relevant bibliography, Xavier Terradas for his assist- a real pattern, the data shows that mortuary practices vary ance with the radiocarbon dates for El Collado and António regionally and discontinuously over time. More specifically, Monge Soares for the unpublished information on marine burial data clusters into certain regions during certain peri- ΔR values. All errors and omissions remain my own.
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 Roots of death: origins of human burial and the research on Early Holocene mortuary practices in the Iberian Peninsula 641
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Soler Diáz/J.A. López Padilla Estremadura. Trabalhos de Arqueologia 51 Europe. Papers presented at the third inter- (eds.), Actas del IV Congreso del Neolítico (Lisboa 2o11) 37–47. national symposium, Edinburgh 1985 (Edin- Peninsular (Alicante, 27–3o de noviembre Araújo 2o12 burgh 1989) 614–631. de 2oo6). Museo Arqueológico de Alicante A.C. Araújo, Une histoire des premières com- Arnaud/Bento 1988 (Alicante 2oo8) 267–274. munautés mésolithiques au Portugal [unpubl. J.M. Arnaud/J. Bento, Caracterização da Cunha et al. 2oo3 PhD dissertation, Université Paris I: Pré- ocupação pré-histórica da Gruta do Casal E. Cunha/F. Cardosa/C. Umbelino, Inferences histoire] (Paris 2o12). Papagaio (Fátima, Vila Nova de Ourém). about Mesolithic life style on the basis of an- Arias 2oo5 Algar 2, 1988, 27–34. thropological data. The case of the Portuguese P. Arias, Determinaciones de isótopos esta- Aura Tortosa 2o1o shell middens. In: L. Larsson/H. Kindgren/ bles en restos humanos de la región Cantá- J.E. Aura Tortosa, Uno de los nuestros. Notas K. Knutsson/D. Loeffler/A. Åkerlund (eds.), brica. Aportación al estudio de la dieta de las para una arqueología de las prácticas funera- Mesolithic on the move. Papers presented at poblaciones del Mesolítico y el Neolítico. rias de los cazadores prehistóricos de la the sixth international conference on the Munibe 57, 2oo5, 359–374. Península Ibérica. In: A. Pérez Fernández/ Mesolithic in Europe, Stockholm 2ooo Arias 2o1o B. Soler Mayor (eds.), Restos de Vida. Restos (Oxford 2oo3) 184–188. P. Arias, La Braña-Arintero en el contexto del de Muerte. Museu de Prehistòria de València Cunha/Cardoso 2oo1 mundo funerario del Mesolítico de la Penín- (València 2o1o) 31–44. E. Cunha/F. Cardoso, The osteological series sula Ibérica. In: J.M. Vidal Encinas/M.E. Prada Aura Tortosa et al. 2oo6 from Cabeço da Amoreira (Muge, Portugal). Marcos (eds.), Los hombres mesolíticos de la J.E. Aura Tortosa/Y. Carrión Marco/O. García Bulletins et Mémoires de la Société d’Anthro- cueva de la Braña-Arintero (Valdelugueros, Puchol/P. Jardón Giner/J.F. Jordá Pardo/ pologie de Paris 13,3–4, 2oo1, 323–333. León) (Valladolid 2o1o) 82–91. L. Molina Balaguer/J.V. Morales Pérez/ Cunha/Cardoso 2oo3 Arias 2o12 J.Ll. Pascual Benito/G. Pérez Jordá/M. Pérez E. Cunha/F. Cardoso, New data on Muge shell P. Arias, Funerary practices in Cantabrian, Ripoll/M.J. Rodrigo García/C.C. Verdasco middens: a contribution to more accurate Spain (9ooo–3ooo cal BC). In: J.F. Gibaja/ Cebrián, Epipaleolítico-Mesolítico en las numbers and dates. Estudos Arqueológicos de A.F. Carvalho/P. Chambon (eds.), Funerary comarcas centrales valencianas. In: A. Alday Muge I, 2oo3, 171–184. practices in the Iberian Peninsula from the (ed.), El Mesolítico de muescas-denticulados Cunha/Umbelino 1997 Mesolithic to the Chalcolithic. BAR Interna- de la Cuenca del Ebro y el Litoral Mediter- E. Cunha/C. Umbelino, Abordagem antropo- tional Series 2417 (Oxford 2o12) 7–2o. ráneo. Memorias de Yacimientos Alaveses lógica das comunidades mesolíticas dos Arias/Álvarez-Fernández 2oo4 (Vitoria-Gasteiz 2oo6) 65–12o. Concheiros do Sado. O Arqueólogo Português P. Arias/E. Álvarez-Fernández, Iberian Aura Tortosa et al. 2o1o 13–15, 1995–1997 (1997), 161–179. foragers and funerary ritual. A review of J.E. Aura Tortosa/J.V. Morales Pérez/M. Paz de Cunha/Umbelino 2oo1 Paleolithic and Mesolithic evidence on the Miguel Ibáñez, Restos humanos con marcas E. Cunha/C. Umbelino, Mesolithic people Peninsula. In: M. Gonzáles Morales/G. Clark antrópicas de les Coves de Santa Maira. In: from Portugal: an approach to Sado osteo- (eds.), The Mesolithic of the Atlantic Façade. A. Pérez Fernández/B. Soler Mayor (eds.), Restos logical series. Anthropologie 39,2–3, 2oo1, Proceedings of the Santander symposium. de Vida. Restos de Muerte. Museu de Pre- 125–132. Arizona State University Anthropological història de València (València 2o1o) 169–174. Davies 2oo5 Research Papers 55 (Tempe 2oo4) 225–248. Aura et al. 2o11 D. Davies, A brief history of death (Malden, Arias Cabal et al. 2oo7 J.E. Aura/J.F. Jordá/L. Montes/P. Utrilla, MA 2oo5). P. Arias Cabal/J.A. Fernández-Tresguerres Human responses to Younger Dryas in the Diniz et al. 2o14 Velasco/E. Álvares Fernández/Á. Armendáriz Ebro valley and Mediterranean watershed M. Diniz/P. Arias/L. Teira/A.C. Araújo/ Gutiérrez/M. Cueto Rapado/M.A. Fano Mar- (Eastern Spain). Quaternary International M. Cubas/M.J. Neves/D. Nukushina/L. Rocha/ tínez/R. Fernández García/M.D. Garralda/ 242,2, 2o11, 348–359. E. Cerrillo/P. Fernández Sánchez, Os últimos C. Mensua Calzado/L.C. Teira Mayolini, Exca- Barandiarán Maestu /Cava Almazara 2oo2 caçadores-recolectores e os primeiros grupos vación arqueológica de urgencia en la cueva I. Barandiarán Maestu/A. Cava Almazara agro-pastoris, no vale do Sado: estudo arqueo- de La Poza L’Egua (Lledías, Llanes). In: Exca- (eds.), Cazadores-recolectores en el Pirineo lógico num contexto regional (SADO-MESO): vaciones Arqueológicas en Asturias, 1999– navarro: el sitio de Aizpea entre 8.ooo y 6.ooo Poças de S. Bento, Arapouco e Vale de Romei- 2oo2. Servicio de Publicaciones del Princi- años antes de ahora. Anejos de Veleia, Series ras (Alcácer do Sal). Relatório de progresso 4, pado de Asturias (Oviedo 2oo7) 227–239. Maior 1o (Vitoria-Gasteiz 2oo2). 2o13 (Lisboa 2o14). Relatório policopiado. Arias et al. 2oo9 Bicho 1997 Drak/Garralda 2oo9 P. Arias/Á. Armendariz/R. de Balbín/ N.F. Bicho, A ocupação epipaleolítica do L. Drak/M.D. Garralda, Restos humanos M.Á. Fano/J. Fernández-Tresguerres/ Abrigo Grande das Bocas, Rio Maior. mesolíticos en la Cordillera Cantábrica
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(Norte de España). Estudios de Antropología Kalb 1981 Reimer et al. 2o13 Biológica 14,1, 2oo9, 261–282. P. Kalb, Zur relativen Chronologie portugiesi- P.J. Reimer/E. Bard/A. Bayliss/J.W. Beck/ Duday 2oo9 scher Megalithgräber. Madrider Mitteilungen P.G. Blackwell/C. Bronk Ramsey/C.E. Buck/ H. Duday, The archaeology of the dead. Lec- 22, 1981, 55–77. H. Cheng/R.L. Edwards/M. Friedrich/ tures in archaeothanatology (Oxford 2oo9). Lubell/Jackes 1985 P.M. Grootes/T.P. Guilderson/H. Haflidason/ Dupont 2o11 D. Lubell/M. Jackes, Mesolithic-Neolithic I. Hajdas/C. Hatté/T.J. Heaton/D.L. Hoffmann/ C. Dupont, Les invertébrés marins du continuity: evidence from chronology A.G. Hogg/K.A. Hughen/K.F. Kaiser/B. Kro- «concheiro» de Toledo (Lourinhã, Portugal). and human biology. Actas da I Reunião do mer/S.W. Manning/M. Niu/R.W. Reimer/ In: A.C. Araújo (ed.), O concheiro de Toledo Quaternário Ibérico. Grupo de Trabalho D.A. Richards/E.M. Scott/J.R. Southon/ no contexto do Mesolítico inicial do litoral da Português para o Estudio do Quaternário R.A. Staff/C.S.M. Turney/J. van der Plicht, Estremadura. Trabalhos de Arqueologia 51 (Lisboa 1985) 113–133. IntCal13 and Marine13 radiocarbon age (Lisboa 2o11) 185–227. Lubell/Jackes 1988 calibration curves o–5o,ooo years cal BP. Fernández-Tresguerres 1976 D. Lubell/M. Jackes, Portuguese Mesolithic- Radiocarbon 55,4, 2o13, 1869–1887. J. Fernández-Tresguerres, Azilian burial Neolithic subsistence and settlement. Rivista Roksandic´ 2oo6 from Los Azules I, Asturias, Spain. Current di Antropologia 66, Suppl., 1988, 231–248. M. Roksandic´, Analysis of burials from the Anthropology 17,4, 1976, 769–77o. Lubell et al. 2oo7 new excavations of the sites Cabeço da Amo- Gallego Lletjós 2o13 D. Lubell/M. Jackes/P. Sheppard/P. Rowley- reira and Cabeço da Arruda (Muge, Portugal). N. Gallego Lletjós, El Mesolítico de la Península Conwy, The Mesolithic-Neolithic in the In: N.F. Bicho/H. Veríssimo (eds.), Do Epipa- Ibérica. Historia crítica de la investigación y Alentejo: archaeological investigations, leolítico ao Calcolítico na Península Ibérica. estado actual del conocimiento [PhD disserta- 1984–1986. In: N.F. Bicho (ed.), From the Actas do IV Congresso de Arqueologia Penin- tion, Universidad Complutense de Madrid Mediterranean basin to the Portuguese Atlan- sular, Faro, 14 a 19 de Setembro de 2oo4. Pro- 2o13],
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 Roots of death: origins of human burial and the research on Early Holocene mortuary practices in the Iberian Peninsula 643
Source of figures
1 orthorectified imagery from the Landsat satellites, LANDSAT-5, Global Land Cover Facility (GLCF) 2–5 author Tab. 1–2 author
Address
Rita Peyroteo Stjerna Department of Organismal Biology Evolutionary Biology Centre Jakobsson Lab Uppsala University Norbyvägen 18A 752 36 Uppsala Sweden [email protected]
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 Programme of the international conference on »Mesolithic burials – Rites, symbols and social organisation of early postglacial communities«, Halle (Saale), 18th–21st September 2013
Wednesday, 18 September 2o13 14:3o Ruth Bollongino, Mainz (DE), Jan Heinemeier, Aarhus (DK), Bettina Jungklaus, Berlin (DE), Andreas Kotula, 8:oo–14:oo Greifswald (DE) & Thomas Terberger, Hannover (DE): Registration/Poster installation/Coffee New information on the multiple burial site of Groß Fredenwalde, Brandenburg 1o:oo Opening session 15:oo Marcus Stecher, Mainz (DE), Judith M. Grünberg, Welcome words from Harald Meller, Halle/Saale (DE) & Kurt W. Alt, Mainz (DE): State Archaeologist and Director of the State Office The Mesolithic burials of the Middle Elbe-Saale for Heritage Management and Archaeology region Saxony-Anhalt, Director of the State Museum of Prehistory Halle (Saale) 15:3o Leendert P. Louwe Kooijmans, Eerbeek (NL): Human bones amidst refuse in the Late Mesolithic – the Hardinxveld case, the Netherlands Session Chair: Berit V. Eriksen, Schleswig (DE) 16:oo Discussion 1o:1o Judith M. Grünberg, Halle/Saale (DE): Introduction to the conference topic 16:1o Group photograph of the participants in front of the main entrance of the »State Museum of Prehistory« 1o:3o Christoper Meiklejohn & Jeff Babb, Winnipeg (CA): 16:3o Poster session A chrono-geographic look at Mesolithic burials: an initial study 17:3o Special tour through the permanent exhibition of the State Museum of Prehistory guided by Bernd Zich, 11:oo Glen H. Doran, Tallahassee (US): head of the department »State Museum«, and Florida’s window on the past – bog burials Judith M. Grünberg
11:3o Ruth Struwe, Bernau (DE) & Birgit Scheps- 19:oo »Icebreaker Party« at the State Museum of Prehistory Bretschneider, Leipzig (DE): (lecture room) with small buffet. Film by E. Brinch Ethnological records on the treatment of corpses Petersen, København (DK): preceding disposal of Australia’s sub-recent »Digging Mesolithic Burials: Henriksholm-Bøgebak- indigenes ken 1975 – Strøby Egede 1986 – Gøngehusvej 7, 199o«
12:oo Discussion
12:1o Lunch Break Thursday, 19 September 2o13
Session Chair: Christoper Meiklejohn, Winnipeg (CA) Session Chair: Pablo Arias, Santander (ES) 8:3o Rick Schulting, Oxford (GB): 13:3o Bernhard Gramsch, Potsdam (DE): Holes in the world: the use of caves for burial in the The Mesolithic burials of northeastern Germany – Mesolithic synopsis and new aspects 9:oo Erik Brinch Petersen, København (DK): 14:oo Maha Ismail-Weber, Wünsdorf (DE): Afterlife in the Mesolithic – from inhumation, A burial at the edge of the Oderbruch (state of cremation and exhumation to discard into oblivion Brandenburg) – description and discussion of a possible Mesolithic grave
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 910 Programme of the international conference
9:3o Berit V. Eriksen, Schleswig (DE): Session Chair: Leendert P. Louwe Kooijmans, Grave matters in Southern Scandinavia. Mortuary Eerbeek (NL) practice and ritual behaviour of the Maglemose people 16:oo Zofia Sulgostowska, Warszawa (PL): New data concerning Mesolithic burials from Polish territory 1o:oo Discussion 16:3o Witold Gumin´ski & Karolina Bugajska, 1o:1o Coffee Break Warszawa (PL): Exception as a rule. Diversified burial rite at Dudka and Szczepanki (Masuria, NE-Poland) Session Chair: Erik Brinch Petersen, København (DK) 17:oo Karolina Bugajska & Witold Gumin´ski, 1o:3o Ole Lass Jensen, Hørsholm (DK): Warszawa (PL): Inhumations and cremations from the Late Mesolithic How many steps to heaven? Loose human bones and site of Nivå 1o, Eastern Denmark secondary burials at Dudka and Szczepanki, Masuria (NE-Poland) 11:oo Esben Kannegaard, Randers (DK): The early Ertebølle ochre graves from the location 17:3o Adomas Butrimas & Marius Irše˙nas, Vilnius (LT): Nederst in eastern Jutland New data on the Donkalnis and Spiginas (West Lithuania) Mesolithic cemeteries 11:3o Christian Bender Koch, København (DK), Erik Brinch Petersen, København (DK) & Esben Kannegaard, 18:oo Discussion Randers (DK): A material science perspective on ocher from 19:3o Public evening talk Mesolithic graves Bernhard Gramsch, Potsdam (DE): Hunters 1o,ooo years ago – excavations near Friesack 12:oo Discussion in the Marchia of Brandenburg Jäger vor 1o.ooo Jahren – Ausgrabungen bei Friesack 12:1o Lunch Break in der Mark Brandenburg
(afterwards social evening in a restaurant) Session Chair: Zofia Sulgostowska, Warszawa (PL)
13:3o Lars Larsson, Lund (SE): Perspectives on the Skateholm burial grounds Friday, 2o September 2o13
14:oo Torbjörn Ahlström, Lund (SE) & Karl-Göran Session Chair: Margherita Mussi, Roma (IT) Sjögren, Göteborg (SE): Early Mesolithic burials from Bohuslän, Western 8:3o Ilga Zagorska, Rı¯ga (LV): Sweden Mesolithic burials traditions in Latvia, Eastern Baltic
14:3o Fredrik Hallgren & Elin Fornander, Västerås (SE): 9:oo Gunita Zarin˛a, Rı¯ga (LV) & Kathleen Faccia, Skulls on stakes and skulls in water. Mesolithic London (GB): mortuary rituals at Kanaljorden, Motala, Sweden, Some aspects of Mesolithic population of Latvia 7ooo BP 9:3o Valdis Berzin˛š, Rı¯ga (LV), Ute Brinker, Schwerin 15:oo Fredrik Molin, Linköping (SE) & Sara Gummesson, (DE), Harald Lübke, Schleswig (DE), John Meadows, Stockholm (SE): Kiel (DE) & Ilga Zagorska, Rı¯ga (LV): How to settle the dead – burials on the Mesolithic The human burials of Rin˛n˛ukalns, Latvia – settlement Motala, Sweden new investigations to clarify an old reseach dispute 15:3o Discussion 1o:oo Discussion 15:4o Coffee Break 1o:1o Coffee Break
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 Programme of the international conference 911
Session Chair: Ilga Zagorska, Rı¯ga (LV) 17:oo Nuno Bicho, Faro (PT), Cláudia Umbelino, Coimbra (PT), Célia Gonçalves, Faro (PT), Olívia Figueiredo, 1o:3o Rimantas Jankauskas, Vilnius (LT): Faro (PT), Telmo Pereira, Faro (PT), João Cascalheira, Skeletal markers of activities and social status in Faro (PT), João Marreiros, Faro (PT) & T. Douglas Lithuanian and Latvian Mesolithic-Neolithic Price, Madison (US): population Human burials in the Mesolithic of Muge and the origins of social differentiation: the case of Cabeço da 11:oo Mari Tõrv, Tartu (EE)/Schleswig (DE): Amoreira, Portugal Body as evidence: tracing hunter-gatherer (c. 52oo –3ooo cal BC) burial practices in present- 17:3o Olívia Figueiredo, Faro (PT), Cláudia Umbelino, day Estonia Coimbra (PT) & Nuno Bicho, Faro (PT): Mortuary variability at Moita do Sebastião & Cabeço 11:3o Kristiina Mannermaa, Helsinki (FI): da Amoreira (Muge, central Portugal) Interpretation of meanings of animals in prehistoric hunter-gatherer burials in the North – multiple 18:oo Discussion lines of evidence approach 19:3o Social evening in a restaurant with buffet 12:oo Discussion
12:1o Lunch Break Saturday, 21 September 2o13
Session Chair: Jörg Orschiedt, Berlin (DE) Session Chair: Patrice Courtaud, Talence (FR)
13:3o Éva David, Nanterre (FR): 8:3o Federica Fontana, Ferrara (IT), Antonio Guerreschi, Late Mesolithic social organisation from Téviec Ferrara (IT), Stefano Bertola, Innsbruck (AT), (Morbihan, France) burials grounds François Briois, Toulouse (FR), Cristina Cilli, Torino (IT), Emanuela Cristiani, Cambridge (GB), Valentina 14:oo Patrice Courtaud, Talence (FR), Hans C. Petersen, Gazzoni, Mantova (IT), Giacomo Giacobini, Torino Odense (DK), Aurélie Zemour, Nice (FR), Franck (IT), Gwenaëlle Goude, Aix-en-Provence (FR), Estelle Leandri, Ajaccio (FR) & Joseph Cesari, Ajaccio (FR): Herrscher, Aix-en-Provence (FR) & Sara Ziggiotti, The Mesolithic burial of Campu Stefanu Villafranca Padovana (IT): (Corsica, France) The Castelnovian burial of Mondeval de Sora (San Vito di Cadore, BL, Italy): evidence for changes 14:3o Pablo Arias, Santander (ES): in the social organisation of Late Mesolithic hunter- Grave goods in the Mesolithic of southern Europe gatherers in north-eastern Italy
15:oo Discussion 9:oo Margherita Mussi, Roma (IT), Rita T. Melis, Cagliari (IT) & Roberto Macchiarelli, Paris/Poitiers (FR): 15:1o Coffee Break Mesolithic burials at S’Omu e S’Orku (SOMK) on the south-western coast of Sardinia
Session Chair: Lars Larsson, Lund (SE) 9:3o Adina Boroneant¸, Bucharest (RO) & Clive Bonsall, Edinburgh (GB): 15:3o Juan F. Gibaja, Barcelona (ES), Javier Fernandez, Icoana revisited Tarragona (ES), Maria Eulalia Subira, Barcelona (ES), Eva Fernandez, Liverpool (GB), Xavier Terradas, 1o:oo Discussion Barcelona (ES), Cristina Gamba, Dublin (IE) & Jose Aparicio, Valencia (ES): 1o:1o Coffee Break Lecture around the Mesolithic necropolis of El Collado (Alicant, Spain) Session Chair: Mary Jackes, Waterloo (CA) 16:oo Mary Jackes & David Lubell, Waterloo (CA): Muge Mesolithic burials, a synthesis on mortuary 1o:3o Jörg Orschiedt, Berlin (DE): archaeology Bodies, bits and pieces: Late Palaeolithic and Early Mesolithic burials in Europe 16:3o Rita Peyroteo Stjerna, Uppsala (SE): Roots of death: funerary rituals and the shell 11:oo Søren A. Sørensen, Køge (DK): middens of SW Atlantic Europe (Tagus and Sado Loose human bones from Late Mesolithic sites valleys, Portugal) in Denmark
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 912 Programme of the international conference
11:3o Amy Gray Jones, Chester (GB): Poster Presentations »Loose« human bone in the Mesolithic – isolated or integrated? 1 Marja Ahola & Kristiina Mannermaa, Helsinki (FI): Vantaa Jönsas – a Mesolithic burial ground? 12:oo Discussion 2 Birgit Gehlen, Köln (DE): 12:1o Lunch Break Mesolithic heritage in Neolithic burials
3 Mario Küßner, Weimar (DE): Session Chair: Clive Bonsall, Edinburgh (GB) A child’s grave from the rock shelter Fuchskirche I near Allendorf (Thuringia, Germany) 13:3o Emily Hellewell & Nicky Milner, York (GB): Analyses of the placement of disarticulated human 4 Jörg Orschiedt, Berlin (DE) & Claus-Joachim Kind, remains in stone age shell middens in Europe Esslingen (DE): Mesolithic human remains from Southern Germany 14:oo Johan Jelsma, Zuidhorn (NL): Social and spatial differences at Port au Choix: 5 Svetlana V. Oshibkina, Moscow (RU): the mortuary analysis of a Maritime Archaic Mesolithic cemeteries in the north of Eastern Europe Indian cemetery at Newfoundland, Canada 6 Torsten Schunke, Halle/Saale (DE) & 14:3o Liv Nilsson Stutz, Atlanta (US): Mario Küßner, Weimar (DE): Testing the tribal hypothesis. An attempt to use Mesolithic cremation burial and camp in Coswig, anthropological theory to reconstruct Mesolithic Wittenberg District, Central Germany cosmology and social organization from treatment of the dead
15:oo Discussion
15:1o Coffee Break
Session Chair: Liv Nilsson Stutz, Atlanta (US)
15:3o Peter Vang Petersen, København (DK): Papooses in the Mesolithic? – A reinterpretation of tooth and snail shell pendants from Bøgebakken, burial 8 and other Mesolithic burials
16:oo Judith M. Grünberg, Halle/Saale (DE): Remains of the Mesolithic mortuary rituals of upright seated individuals in Central Germany
16:3o Mary Jackes & David Lubell, Waterloo (CA): Capsian mortuary practices at Site 12 (Aïn Berriche), Aïn Beïda region, eastern Algeria
17:oo Final Discussion
17:3o Lars Larsson, Lund (SE): Summary of the conference and conclusions
18:oo End of the meeting
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 913
Volumes of the series »Tagungsbände des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle / Conference papers of the State Museum of Prehistory Halle« published to date
This series of conference volumes edited by the Landes- pflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt) since 2oo8. Due to museum was launched in 2oo8. The decision was taken the large proportion of international authors involved, many during the conference »Luthers Lebenswelten (Luther’s life- contributions in this series are written in English with a worlds)«, organised in Halle in 2oo7. The second conference German summary. The lectures and poster presentations volume was devoted to »Battlefield Archaeology«, focussed of the 7th Central German Archaeology Conference »22oo on at the »Central German Archaeology Conference« (Mit- BC – A Climate Collapse as the Cause of the Fall of the Old teldeutscher Archäologentag), which is annually organised World?« were presented in numerous articles by renowned and published by the State Office for Heritage Management researchers from various disciplines. and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt (Landesamt für Denkmal-
The following volumes are available:
Band 1/2oo8 Harald Meller / Stefan Rhein / Hans-Georg Stephan (Hrsg.), Luthers Lebenswelten. Tagung vom 25. bis 27. September 2oo7 in Halle (Saale). ISBN 978-3-939414-22-3, € 19,oo
Band 2/2oo9 Harald Meller (Hrsg.), Schlachtfeldarchäologie. Battlefield Archaeology. 1. Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom o9. bis 11. Oktober 2oo8 in Halle (Saale). ISBN 978-3-939414-41-4, € 35,oo
Band 3/2o1o Harald Meller / Kurt W. Alt (Hrsg.), Anthropologie, Isotopie und DNA – biografische Annäherung an namenlose vorgeschichtliche Skelette? 2. Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom o8. bis 1o. Oktober 2oo9 in Halle (Saale). ISBN 978-3-939414-53-7, € 19,oo Band 6/2o11 Hans-Rudolf Bork / Harald Meller / Band 4/2o1o Harald Meller / Regine Maraszek (Hrsg.), Renate Gerlach (Hrsg.), Masken der Vorzeit in Europa I. Umweltarchäologie – Naturkatastrophen und Internationale Tagung vom 2o. bis 22. November Umweltwandel im archäologischen Befund. 2oo9 in Halle (Saale). 3. Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom ISBN 978-3-939414-54-4, € 19,oo o7. bis o9. Oktober 2o1o in Halle (Saale). ISBN 978-3-939414-64-3, € 32,oo Band 5/2o11 Harald Meller / François Bertemes (Hrsg.), Der Griff nach den Sternen. Wie Europas Eliten Band 7/2o12 Harald Meller / Regine Maraszek (Hrsg.), zu Macht und Reichtum kamen. Masken der Vorzeit in Europa II. Internationales Symposium in Halle (Saale) Internationale Tagung vom 19. bis 21. November 16.–21. Februar 2oo5. 2o1o in Halle (Saale). ISBN 978-3-939414-28-5, € 89,oo ISBN 978-3-939414-9o-2, € 32,oo
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016 914
Band 8/2o12 François Bertemes / Harald Meller (Hrsg.), Band 13/2o16 Judith M. Grünberg / Bernhard Gramsch / Neolithische Kreisgabenanlagen in Europa. Lars Larsson / Jörg Orschiedt / Harald Meller (eds.), Neolithic circular enclosures in Europe. Mesolithic burials – Rites, symbols and social Internationale Arbeitstagung 7. bis 9. Mai 2oo4 organisation of early postglacial communities in Goseck (Sachsen-Anhalt). Mesolithische Bestattungen – Riten, Symbole ISBN 978-3-939414-33-9, € 59,oo und soziale Organisation früher postglazialer Gemeinschaften. Band 9/2o13 Harald Meller / Francois Bertemes / International Conference, Halle (Saale), Hans-Rudolf Bork / Roberto Risch (Hrsg.), Germany, 18th–21st September 2o13. 16oo – Kultureller Umbruch im Schatten des ISBN 978-3-9445o7-43-9, € 81,oo Thera-Ausbruchs? 16oo – Cultural change in the shadow of the Thera-Eruption? Band 14/2o16 Harald Meller / Hans Peter Hahn / 4. Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom Reinhard Jung / Roberto Risch (Hrsg.), 14. bis 16. Oktober 2o11 in Halle (Saale). Arm und Reich – Zur Ressourcenverteilung in ISBN 978-3-9445o7-oo-2, € 69,oo prähistorischen Gesellschaften. Rich and Poor – Competing for resources in prehistoric societies. Band 1o/2o13 Harald Meller / Christian-Heinrich 8. Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom 22. bis Wunderlich / Franziska Knoll (Hrsg.), 24. Oktober 2o15 in Halle (Saale). Rot – die Archäologie bekennt Farbe. ISBN 978-3-9445o7-45-3, € 89,oo 5. Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom o4. bis o6. Oktober 2o12 in Halle (Saale). Band 15/2o16 Harald Meller / Alfred Reichenberger / ISBN 978-3-9445o7-o1-9, € 49,oo Christian-Heinrich Wunderlich (Hrsg.), Alchemie und Wissenschaft des 16. Jahrhunderts. Band 11/2o14 Harald Meller / Roberto Risch / Fallstudien aus Wittenberg und vergleichbare Ernst Pernicka (Hrsg.), Befunde. Metalle der Macht – Frühes Gold und Silber. Internationale Tagung vom 3. bis 4. Juli 2o15 in Metals of power – Early gold and silver. Halle (Saale). 6. Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom ISBN 978-3-9445o7-48-4, € 49,oo 17. bis 19. Oktober 2o13 in Halle (Saale). ISBN 978-3-9445o7-13-2, € 119,oo
Band 12/2o15 Harald Meller / Helge Wolfgang Arz / Reinhard Jung / Roberto Risch (Hrsg.), 22oo BC – Ein Klimasturz als Ursache für den Zerfall der Alten Welt? 22oo BC – A climatic break- down as a cause for the collapse of the old world? 7. Mitteldeutscher Archäologentag vom 23. bis 26. Oktober 2o14 in Halle (Saale). ISBN 978-3-9445o7-29-3, ¤ 1o9,oo
The publications are available in bookshops or by directly contacting:
Verlag Beier & Beran Thomas-Müntzer-Straße 1o3 DE-o8134 Langenweißbach Germany
Tel. +49 / (o)376o3 / 36 88 [email protected] www.Denkmal-Buch-Geschichte.de
Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte Halle • Band 13 • 2016