Pochówki bydlęce i depozyty kości zwierzęcych ze stanowisk kultury unietyckiej na Śląsku

• Authors: Tomasz Gralak

Title variants

EN

CATTLE BURIAL AND ANIMAL BONE DEPOSITS IN ÚNĚTICE CULTURE SITES IN DISTR. WROCŁAW IN SILESIA, SOUTH-WESTERN POLAND

• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

Archaeological fieldwork attending the construction of motorway A4 led to the discovery of a number of settlements and cemeteries of Únětice Culture people. Some of these sites contained features of a form previously not recorded in this culture unit, including cattle burials and specially prepared animal bone deposits. The chronology of the former was determined only basing on radiocarbon dating. Cattle burials were identified at Wojkowice 15, Nowa Wieś Wrocławska 4, and at Milejowice 19 (distr. Wrocław). C14 dates obtained are respectively: 3690 ± 190 BP, 3515 ± 35BP, 3585 ± 35BP. Two burials were inside the settlement, the third, at Milejowice, was discovered in the cemetery. Every time the alignment of the skeleton was approximately in line with N-S axis, with the head towards the south. In addition, at Milejowice and Nowa Wieś Wrocławska, the position of the skull indicated prior decapitation. The chronology of yet another cattle burial, discovered at Szczepankowice, site 1, is not without ambiguity as it was determined based on the position of this feature within the cemetery of the Únětice Culture people. The animal was deposited in line with NS axis, its head towards the north. The skeleton was on its left side, with the neck vertebrae and the head flexed back, suggesting that the animal’s neck had been broken. Also recorded in settlements at Wojkowice and at Nowa Wieś Wrocławska were pits containing intentional animal bone deposits. Presumably they represent consumption remains. However, they differ visibly from similar finds originating from other settlement features. Very likely they represent the entire remains of a given animal, deposited in a specially prepared pit. The quantity of other bones present was negligible or there were none at all (Table 1). Thus, the feature was used only once. From Wojkowice site 15 we also have a find of five pits containing deposits of animal bone. One of them: 658-I-98, has a chronology based on a C14 date of 3510 ± 180 BP. Two similar deposits were discovered at Nowa Wieś Wrocławska. Cattle burials and animal bone deposits find close analogy in Mierzanowice Culture. Their presence our region intimates the existence during Early Bronze Age of rituals with an intercultural character.

Keywords

EN

ÚNĚTICE CULTURE; CATTLE BURIAL; ANIMAL SACRIFICE; ANIMAL BONE

• Publisher: Instytut Archeologii Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego
• Journal: Śląskie Sprawozdania Archeologiczne
• Year: 2011
• Volume: 53
• Pages: 211-223

Contributors

author

Tomasz Gralak

• Instytut Archeologii Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego, ul. Szewska 48, 50-139 Wrocław, Poland.