Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10316/27749
Title: Collective secondary cremation in a pit grave: a unique funerary context in Portuguese Chalcolithic burial practices
Authors: Silva, A. M. 
Leandro, I. 
Pereira, D. 
Costa, C. 
Valera, A .C. 
Issue Date: Nov-2014
Publisher: Elsevier
Citation: SILVA, A. M. [et al.] - Collective secondary cremation in a pit grave: a unique funerary context in Portuguese Chalcolithic burial practices. "Journal of Comparative Human Biology". ISSN 0018-442X (2014)
Serial title, monograph or event: Journal of Comparative Human Biology
Abstract: Perdigões is a large site with a set of ditched enclosures located at Reguengos de Monsaraz, Alentejo, South Portugal. Recently at the central area of this site burnt human remains were found in a pit (#16). This structure had inside human remains, animal bones (namely pig, sheep or goat, cattle, dog, deer and rabbit), shards, ivory idols and arrowheads. All have been subjected to fire and later deposited in that pit, resulting in a secondary disposal of human bones. The recovered fragmented human bones (4845.18 g) correspond to a minimal number of 9 individuals: 6 adults and 3 sub-adults. The aim of this work is to document and interpret this funerary context based on the study of the recovered human remains. For that purpose, observations of all alterations due to fire, such as colour change and type of bone distortion, as well as anthropological data were collected. The data obtained suggest that these human remains were probably intentionally cremated, carefully collected and finally deposited in this pit. The cremation was conducted on probably complete corpses, some of them still fairly fresh and fleshed, as some bones presented thumbnail fractures. The collective cremation of the pit 16 represents an unprecedented funerary context for Portuguese, and Iberian Peninsula, Chalcolithic burial practices. Moreover, it is an example of the increasing diversity of mortuary practices of Chalcolithic human populations described in present Portuguese territory, as well as, in the Iberian Peninsula.
O recinto dos Perdigões, localizado em Reguengos de Monsaraz, no sul de Portugal, tem revelado desde 1997 diversos contextos funerários do Neolítico final e Calcolítico. Na sua área central foi identificado uma fossa (16), contendo restos ósseos humanos, cerâmica e fauna diversa. A respectiva escavação veio revelar tratar-se de um depósito secundário correspondendo ao despejo de restos de ossos humanos cremados, restos faunísticos (porco, ovelha ou cabra, vaca, cão, cervo e coelho) e cerca de meia centena de pontas de seta e fragmentos de ídolos em marfim, material que se apresentava também intensamente queimado. Neste trabalho serão apresentados os resultados do estudo laboratorial dos restos ósseos humanos. Este revelou que todo o espólio ósseo humano (4845.18 gr) esteve sujeito à acção de fogo, de diversa intensidade. Predominam os vestígios ósseos sujeitos a altas temperaturas (> 900°), revelado pelas alterações registadas em termos de cor, tipo de fracturas e deformações. Este espólio terá pertencido a um mínimo de 9 indivíduos, 3 dos quais faleceram antes de atingir a idade adulta. A fossa 16, um contexto secundário e colectivo de cremação representa um contexto funerário único do Calcolítico Português, bem como de toda a Península Ibérica. Constitui mais um exemplo da crescente diversidade de práticas funerárias descritas para esta região da Europa.
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/10316/27749
ISSN: 0018-442X
DOI: 10.1016/j.jchb.2014.10.003
Rights: openAccess
Appears in Collections:I&D CIAS - Artigos em Revistas Internacionais

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