engleski

Late Bronze Age societies in the southern Carpathian Basin

Late Bronze Age societies in the southern Carpathian Basin are known from literature where they are presented as several cultural groups. They were observed through sever-al topics: distribution area and most important sites, relative chronology, mortuary prac- tices, material culture, genesis of the group and relationship with neighboring groups. During BAMPICa project’s research different networks of detailed data about mortuary practice have been noticed. Research questions about societies are observed in several case studies within mortuary practices: body ornaments, body treatment, body disposal, selection of urn, funerary feast. Several levels of similarities and differences have been noticed. Late Bronze Age communities cremated their deceased in the southern Carpa- thian Basin. In most cases they disposed them in urns. During the Late Bronze Age dif-ferent types and size of urns were used. Important part of the Late Bronze Age funeral was funerary feast whose traces are often found in graves. Map of distributions of dif-ferent material evidences and different phases of funerary practices show that our knowledge about identities of LBA communities, reading from graves are sparingly. Observed different communication networks of items and customs indicate different dynamics in selection, acceptance and practice. The reasons for differences can be in geographic positions, communication routes and their importance during the period. Late Bronze Age mortuary practice show unity and awareness of communities which buried deceased, in some steps: cremation as body treatment, using of urns, while in body ornaments and selection of urns they used what they possessed. It can be conclud-ed that some customs and beliefs were widespread much more then we take for granted in Balkan archaeology. But on the other side, LBA communities also had invisible boundaries, defined by the people that we investigate, rather than researchers.

Late Bronze Age, society, graves, identity, southern Carpathian Basin

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