Sprawozdania Archeologiczne, 2013, 65, s. 293-309 SPRAWOZDANIA ARCHEOLOGICZNE 65, 2013 PL ISSN 0081-3834 Paweł Jarosz*, Anita Szczepanek** and Piotr Włodarczak*** TOMB NO. 1 AT Malżyce, SITE 31 (DISTR. KAZIMIERZA WIELKA) AND THE MEGALITHIC FUNNEL BEAKER CEMETERIES IN THE LOESS REGION OF WESTERN MałopolsKA ABSTRACT Jarosz P., Szczepanek A. and Włodarczak P. 2013. Tomb no. 1 at Malżyce, site 31 (distr. Kazimierza Wielka) and the megalithic Funnel Beaker cemeteries in the loess region of western Małopolska. Sprawozdania Archeolo- giczne 65, 293–309. The remains of a heavily eroded Funnel Beaker tomb was discovered at Malżyce, site 31. At the centre of the ex- cavation trench was the central burial with ditches, to the north and south of it, aligned W-E (features 2 and 3), and also, part of a broad depression — where earth was extracted and used to build up the burial mound (feature 7). To the east of the central burial were features 5 and 6, interpreted as elements belonging to the construction of the front end of the tomb. Feature 1, the central burial, was a stone structure, the grave pit held the remains of a maturus individual of undetermined sex. The absolute date obtained for the inhumation is 4765±35 BP which corresponds to 3641–3382 BC. These dates are compatible with the age estimated for the settlement finds at- tributed to the “classic phase” of development of the Funnel Beaker Culture in the loess upland of south-eastern Poland. Key words: Malżyce, Funnel Beaker cemetery, megalithic chamberless tomb Received: 6.05.2013; Revised: 21.06.2013; Accepted: 30.08.2013 * Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska st. 17, 31-016 Kraków, Poland; [email protected] ** Department of Anthropology, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa st. 9, 30-387 Kraków, Poland; [email protected] *** Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska st. 17, 31-016 Kraków, Poland; [email protected] 294 Paweł Jarosz, Anita Szczepanek and Piotr Włodarczak 1. INTRODUCTION The archaeological record for the megalithic burial rite practiced by the Funnel Beaker communities of western Małopolska (Lesser Poland) visibly improved in recent years. Ex- cavation brought in new evidence and in the newest synthetic studies the findings from the area of interest have been subjected to new interpretations (Król 2011; Rzepecki 2011). A microregion with an outstanding archaeological record can be found in the eastern area of the Nida Basin where several cemeteries have been discovered, which attributed to va- rious culture units spanning from the Middle Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age. Evi- dence for the burial rite from this area may serve as a reference for other parts of Małopolska (Włodarczak 2011). It is striking that the cemeteries recorded in the area, which are asso- ciated with a succession of cultural units, continued to occupy the same locations which had been deliberately selected landforms, set apart from the rest of the landscape, which were used for long periods of time for designated funerary purposes (in extreme cases, for about 2000 years). One such location is the area of loess hills between the villages Malżyce and Fig. 1. The location of Tomb no. 1, site 31, within the burial complex of Funnel Beaker Culture at Malżyce and at Zagaje Stradowskie Ryc. 1. Lokalizacja grobowca nr 1 na stanowisku 31 na tle kompleksu obrzędowo-funeralnego w Malżycach i Zagaju Stradowskim Tomb no. 1 at Malżyce, site 31 and the megalithic Funnel Beaker cemeteries 295 Zagaje Stradowskie (comm. Czarnocin, distr. Kazimierza Wielka, Świętokrzyskie voivod- ship). So far, at the summit area of the loess plateau, formed by a series of hill ranges aligned NE-SW, no less than eight points have been recognized as Neolithic burial site complexes (Fig. 1). The oldest phase is represented by tombs erected by the people of the Funnel Beaker Culture in the fourth millennium BC. Six of these monuments were inves- tigated through archaeological excavation: tombs no. 1 and no. 2 on site “Mogiła” at Zagaje Stradowskie (Gromnicki 1961; Burchard 1998; 2006), tombs 1, 2 and 3 on site 30 at Malżyce (Jarosz et al. 2009; 2013; Tunia, Włodarczak 2011) and tomb 1 on site 31 at Malżyce. The latter, was investigated by the authors in the autumn of 2011 and is discussed in the present study. While the excavated body of evidence is modest, it nevertheless forms a basis for a number of interesting general remarks on the subject of the megalithic burial rite in the western area of Małopolska. 2. SITE 31 AT MALżyce Sites 30 and 31 at Malżyce lie in the summit zone of the loess hill range, in an area di- vided by a broad and pronounced tract of lower ground, reminiscent of a gully, its relief softened by erosion (Fig. 1). Its slopes descend steeply northward (towards a valley where the village of Górki Kostrzeszyńskie is situated), and more gently, southward. Site 31 has an elevation of ca. 312 m a.s.l. Its area is at present an arable field. Due to the intensive agricultural use the site became seriously eroded, its surface scattered with ploughed up limestone from mortuary structures. The presence of one such concentration was reported to the authors by Kazimierz Niedziela, the user of the field. To prevent further destruction a rescue excavation was undertaken without delay, financed by the regional monuments office in Kielce. This fieldwork led to the discovery at Malżyce, site 31, of the remains of a heavily eroded Funnel Beaker tomb. This was the last possible opportunity to recover any evidence on this feature as the continued intensive exploitation of the field would have caused the full destruction of the central burial. Many details of the construction of the tomb were lost to erosion and can no longer be reconstructed in an entirely reliable manner. Prior to excavation, apart from the concentration of limestone fragments spread over a small area, there was no other evidence (as e.g., the remains of an earthen mound) to indicate the presence of a mortuary feature. A 25 x 15 m excavation trench laid out W-E (Fig. 2) contained a 20–30 cm layer of arable overlying dark yellow decalcified natural loess visibly changing into a brown coloured loam-loess. Archaeological features visible in its plan were recognized as relics of a Funnel Beaker megalithic structure. Next to them no other features or small finds were discovered. Exposed at the centre of the excavation trench was the central burial with, to the north and south of it, ditches, aligned W-E (fea- tures 2 and 3), and also, part of a broad depression — from where earth was extracted to build up the burial mound (feature 7). To the east of the central burial were features 5 and 6, interpreted as elements belonging to the construction of the front of the tomb. 296 Paweł Jarosz, Anita Szczepanek and Piotr Włodarczak soil, 5 — grey-yellow 6 stone czarnobrązowego, 4 — ziemia koloru brązowo-szarego, 5 — ziemia koloru żółtoszarego, 6 — kamień żółtoszarego, 5 — ziemia koloru brązowo-szarego, 4 — ziemia koloru czarnobrązowego, Malżyce, st. 31. Plan wykopu z 2011 roku. Legenda: 1 — ziemia koloru brązowego, 2 — ziemia koloru ciemnobrązowego, 3 — ziemia koloru Malżyce, site 31. Plan of the excavation trench investigated in 2011. Key: 1 — brown soil, 2 — dark brown soil, 3 — black-brown soil, 4 — brown-grey — 4 soil, black-brown — 3 soil, brown dark — 2 soil, brown — 1 Key: 2011. in investigated trench excavation the of Plan 31. site Malżyce, yc. 2. R Fig. 2. Fig. Tomb no. 1 at Malżyce, site 31 and the megalithic Funnel Beaker cemeteries 297 Feature 1 (central burial) At the centre of the excavation trench below the concentration of limestone which was visible on the surface (from the ploughed out mortuary structure) was a 330 x 140 cm fea- ture, its longer axis aligned W-E, its outline was that of a rectangle with rounded corners (Fig. 3: 1). This central burial pit was built using fragments of marly limestone. The form of this stone structure could not be confirmed in more detail owing to the advanced stage of destruction. Apparently, the pit originally had a setting of vertically placed stones. At the time of discovery the pit was filled with stone, interpreted as the remains of roofing or pos- sibly, of stone paving of the inside of the tomb. The fill was brown soil quite distinct from the yellow loess substrate substantially disturbed by animal burrowing. The base of the grave was 20 cm below the level of detection, or about 50 cm from the present day ground level. It was lined with flat limestone slabs in a loose arrangement. Resting directly over this paving, were some poorly preserved disarticulated human bones. The only element of the cranium was a considerably worn left maxillary first premolar (7). The lower limb sur- vived only as small fragments of ala ossis ilium (3) and a fragment of the pelvis with the acetabulum, and also, fragments of the tibia shaft (2, 5, 6). Finally, there were some very small long bone shaft fragments (4). Based on this material the burial was identified as a maturus individual. The sex could not be determined. The presence of the human tooth in the western area of the pit suggests that the burial rested with the head pointing in this direction. No grave goods were discovered. Feature 2 Investigated only as a fragment, this feature was detected 5.5 m south of the middle of the central burial (Fig. 2). Its N edge was almost straight, parallel with the longer axis of the central burial.