Early Neolithic burials of Starćevo culture at Galovo, Slavonski Brod (Northern Croatia)

Abstract

At Galovo, near Slavonski Brod (Posavina, northern Croatia), a part of an early phase Starčevo culture settlement was found. Inside the settlement a ritual space was separated from the living area by semicircular wooden fences, which shows the so far unknown dimension of ritual burials and organisation of life in the settlement during this period. In a big burial pit, three individuals were buried: a man (complete skeleton), and a woman and a man, both without heads. In the small burial pit a man without a face was buried. Offerings near the buried individuals and objects in the pits show function and tribal status of these individuals at the settlement. Radiocarbon analyses date the burials to around 5700 and 5300 calBC.

Keywords

• ritual burial
• Early Neolithic
• Linear A
• Starčevo culture
• Galovo-Slavonski Brod
• Croatia