engleski

The Late Neolithic human burials from Kotlina - Szuzai Hegy, Baranja: the first results of the anthropological analysis

During the systematic archaeological excavation conducted from 2018 to 2021 at the site of Kotlina- Szuzai Hegy, human burials with skeletal remains of four individuals were discovered. Portable archaeological finds and absolute dates show that the site can be attributed to the Lengyel culture. The graves were laid in shallow pits, in the foetal position, only thirty centimetres below the surface, which contributed to their preservation. Conventional bioarchaeological analysis revealed the sex and age-at-death of the studied individuals as well their health status. Demographic profile of the studied individuals is quite unusual - Grave 1 contained the remains of a young female (18-20 years) while the other three graves contained the remains of subadults (G2 adolescent 11-13 years old, G4 young child 2-3 years old, G5 infant 6-9 months old). The samples from all four individuals were taken for the purposes of ancient DNA and stable isotopes analyses that will tell us more on the ancestry, kinship and diet of these individuals. Graves show evidence of complex funerary practice ; funerary equipment consisted of ceramic vessels, polished stone tools, and a bead from a mollusk shell. Grave goods and skeletal findings provide a great opportunity for osteological, palaeopathological and demographic investigations, and for the archaeological analysis of mortuary practices within the Late Neolithic community, as well as of the long-distance networks and exchange activity.

Kotlina, Neolithic, bioarchaeology, health

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