ARKY 327 Lecture 4: ARKY 327 Lecture 4 + Cemetery of Bilj Problem
19 Jun 2018
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01/30/2018- Cemetery of Bilj
Gender- there was at least two genders possibly three- used fibulae as an indicator, males had
one and females had two. Excess number of fibulae could be statues symbol or to indicate a
third gender. Other indicators of gender- weaponry
Individuals not buried with a group: could have been marginalized in the society, could have
been sacrificed or servants
Time periods- oldest burial practice is extended supine, next oldest is flexed and newest was
use of urns.
Urn grave goods- Gold could be an indicator of status
Goal of the excavation was to characterize cultural identity
1st step- define chronological distinctions using superpositioning- deepest burials are in an
extended position with head to north, middle- flexed with heads to north- uppermost level-
burials are cremated and placed in ceramic urns.
Some characteristics of the material culture are temporally located, ex spearheads are most
common in period C.
Burials that had more than one fibula did not possess weapons, people with only one fibula
were more common possessors of weapons. Contrasting with sex- females are buried with two
or more fibulae, and males tend to only have one fibula and males are buried with weapons,
females are buried without weapons.
Anomalies- burial 16- has its head to the south. Is it a form of shaming? Religious resistance?
Accident?
Burial 17- individual exhibiting dwarfism, had single fibula which suggests male, but the fibula
was located on the hip which was typically female, does this mean they were defying gender
norms?
02-01-2018
The Piltdown Hoax- early 20th century, shortly after Darwin’s theory that humans evolved from
earlier primates- had to do with Eurocentrism. Skeletal remains and stone tools found in Europe
suggesting more primitive human and cultural pattern, especially in the Neander region of
Germany, where Neanderthals derived. Germany, France and Dutch were in discussion about
where modern humans evolved. The English were jealous that they did not have early human
remains. Theory- early humans’ skeletons evolved faster than the cranial capacity. Modern
humans have double the cranial capacity that homo erectus.
The british were being left out of this discussion until Charles Dawson made a discovery- skull
found in Sussex, England, the brain size was the leading element.
Dawson- amatuer paleontologist- 1912- found bones including skull fragments with a very large
cranial vault along with animal fossils dating to prehistoric times. Skull fragments were the same
dark coloud and looked very much like the other animal fossils. Based on this, they concluded
that the skull was from prehistoric times. Found animals and skull fragments from 1mya,
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Document Summary
Gender- there was at least two genders possibly three- used fibulae as an indicator, males had one and females had two. Excess number of fibulae could be statues symbol or to indicate a third gender. Individuals not buried with a group: could have been marginalized in the society, could have been sacrificed or servants. Time periods- oldest burial practice is extended supine, next oldest is flexed and newest was use of urns. Urn grave goods- gold could be an indicator of status. Goal of the excavation was to characterize cultural identity. 1st step- define chronological distinctions using superpositioning- deepest burials are in an extended position with head to north, middle- flexed with heads to north- uppermost level- burials are cremated and placed in ceramic urns. Some characteristics of the material culture are temporally located, ex spearheads are most common in period c.
