Cremated burial at the Trypillia culture fortified settlement Myrohoshcha 15

Abstract

Among Trypillian culture subject matter issues, the settlement structures of the late stage C-II are of great importance. Recent discovery of such settlements within Volyn Upland allows providing full comparisons of geographically large groups and multi-vector analysis. During the excavation of the Trypillian settlement Mirohoshcha 15 (Dubenskyi district, Rivne region) by A. Bardetskyi and D. Verteletskyi in 2017 a segment of the defensive moat was investigated. In its northern part, a cremation burial was found, which was at a depth of 1.75 m. As a result of geomagnetic surveys conducted by M. Pshybyla, the presence of an annular moat was confirmed.

Cremated bones were located between the parts of two bowls stacked on top of each other, and in the immediate vicinity of them. One of the bowls is hemispherical, with a dark gray burnt surface of moderate preservation. The diameter of the rim is 43—45 cm, the wall thickness is from 1.0 to 1.2 cm, with a significant admixture of chamotte of medium granulation in the molding material (Fig. 6). A fragment of another bowl has a light orange surface of good preservation, the diameter of the rim is 40—43 cm, the wall thickness is 0.7—1.2 cm, with a similar molding material technology. Similar vessels are found at the monuments of Volyn Upland, and are also known in the interfluve of the Dniester and the Prut rivers and are typical for the Kasperovtsy-Gordinesti group: Polivanov Iar, Zveniachin-Karier, Tsviklivtsi, Gordinesti.

The date of 4450 ± 35 BP was established by radiocarbon dating of the animal bone fragment, the calibrated value is 3337—2939 BC (OxCal v.4.2.3). This Trypillian burial is unique, its complete analogies haven’t been known yet.

According to the anthropological examination, the burned bone remains (more than 1639 fragments) belonged to an adult person. Their total weight is 477 g. These fragments represent almost all parts of the human skeleton, which were buried in a mixed state. The color of the burned bones varies from shades of gray to white, which indicates the effect of different temperatures on various parts of the skeleton. In the head area, the burning temperature was 500—700 degrees, and in the location of the limbs and trunk it ranged from 600 to 900 degrees. The fragments studied indicate the small size and general grace of the bones of the skull and limbs. Presumably the burial belonged to a woman. No pronounced signs of senile and pathological changes or injuries were revealed on her bones. The age of a cremated woman is determined within the limits of adultus-maturus (25—45 years). Among the filling materials, not burnt faunal bone remains were also found, which are obviously traces of funeral feast or sacrifices of domestic animals.