Body grave
Body graves are graves in which the corpse was buried in an intact condition.
conservation
The buried corpse is very often gone down to the last trace, so that its former presence can only be inferred from the shape of the grave and the location of the grave goods, sometimes also from the color of the ground. On the other hand, under favorable conditions, the bones are often surprisingly well preserved. They then give researchers a good insight into the life and environmental conditions of their former owners.
Sometimes there are signs that the corpse was strewn with ashes and bits of coal, perhaps a reminder of cremation that was previously common .
history
The forms of burial in Europe changed from the middle to the late Bronze Age . With the advent of cremation, body graves are much less common.
Terminology
The expression “skeleton graves”, which is usually used for body graves, is incorrect, as a skeleton may not necessarily be found depending on its preservation.
literature
- Johannes Hoops: Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde (RGA). 1st edition, 4 volumes. KJ Trübner, Strasbourg 1911–1919. Vol. III, p. 93.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Meyer's Large Conversational Lexicon: Graves, Prehistoric
- ↑ www.praehistorische-archaeologie.de , accessed on August 25, 2019