Pedogeochemical investigation of the Bell Beaker Culture graves from sites Hodonice and Těšetice-Kyjovice, South Moravia
| Authors | |
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| Year of publication | 2012 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Theoretical and Methodological Considerations in Central European Neolithic Archaeology Proceedings of the ‘Theory and Method in Archaeology of the Neolithic (7th - 3rd millennium BC)’ conference held in Mikulov, Czech Republic, 26th – 28th of October 20 |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Archaeology, anthropology, ethnology |
| Keywords | Pedogeochemical analysis; Phosphate analysis; Bell Beaker culture; Funerary rite; Secondary disturbance |
| Description | Pedogeochemical analyses could provide additional information to address various archaeological questions. This can be effectively demonstrated by soil phosphate analysis which was used to explore the diversity in funerary rites of prehistoric societies. This investigation aims to illustrate potential options, limitations and perspectives of systematic pedogeochemical sampling of prehistoric graves with circular ditches from selected sites. It is possible to distinguish three categories of grave finds on the basis of macroscopic attributes: a grave pit without skeleton, a complete skeleton, and a disarticulated skeleton or incomplete skeleton. Specific interpretations may be correctly assigned to burial categories only after a synthesis of archaeological, anthropological, taphonomic and geochemical observations. That is why it is necessary to precisely document the archaeological situation: distinguish individual contexts, accurately note positions and degrees of preservation of skeleton remains, and conduct systematic soil sampling (Duday and Guillon 2006; Dupras et al., 2006; Hunter and Cox 2005; Holliday 2004, White and Folkens 2005). Samples from three graves from the Hodonice site represent one possible application of the method, even during rescue excavation. |
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