La mise en bière au Néolithique ancien en Allemagne

Abstract

From the funeral, often long and complex, the archaeologist perceives most of time only the moment of the deposit of the body in the grave. However, we can grasp one part of the gestures made before the inhumation and in particular, the deposit of the deceased in a coffin, moment which belongs to the preparation of the body. The coffin can play a functional part in different moments of the funerary times, just as well before the funeral than during, or after the deposit in the grave. Coffins made with organic features are rarely preserved in temperate environment. The taphonomic analysis of the body and the grave allows nevertheless to restore the presence of a coffin. The archaeologist will speak about rigid and movable container, this designation including different morphological types. In certain graveyards of Rhine regions, some deceaseds were deposited on the back, in extended position, while the majority of the deads were laid down on one side, with flexed limbs. The taphonomic analysis of the deceaseds in extended position shows that they were deposited in a coffin. The recognition of this movable containers is an important datum for the study of neolithic burial practices and particularly to understand the progress of funeral.

Keywords

• coffin
• Early Neolithic
• funerary practices
• position of the deposit
• taphonomic analysis
• Western Europe