Social roles of children during the Late Iron Age. Child burials in Suutarinniemi cemetery (Ii),...

SOCIAL ROLES OF CHILDREN DURING THE LATE IRON

Child burials in Suutarinniemi cemetery (Ii), North Ostrobothnia

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES/ Archaeology / Jari-Matti Kuusela & Rosa Vilkama 8.5.2014

SUUTARINNIEMI CEMETERY

8.5.2014 FACULTY OF HUMANITIES/ Archaeology / Jari-Matti Kuusela & Rosa Vilkama

• Dates most likely to the 12th

and 13th centuries AD

• Contains both inhumation-

and cremation burials

• In 2013, five inhumations and

two cremations were

excavated

• Four burials (Graves 9 and 11

and both cremations) may be

labeled as child burials

• GPR survey indicates that the

cemetery may be relatively

GRAVE 9

• Contained the remains

of a small child

• Possibly a stillborn or

a couple of months old

• Burial was unfurnished

Photo: J. Ikäheimo

GRAVE 11

• A problematic case

• The occupant in this grave

was a roughly 5 cm long

disturbance

• Whatever this is, it was

deliberately buried in a

• Possibly a foetus of 7–9

weeks of age

Photo: J. Ikäheimo

CREMATIONS

• Two cremations were found,

both associated with Grave 3

• Cremation 1 was smaller and

located above the left knee

of the occupant in Grave 3

• Cremation 2 was in two parts

with one half intact and

located on the right side of

the deceased in Grave 3 with

the other half strewn in the

fill of the grave

CREMATION 1

Fragmentary crowns and roots of

deciduous teeth. (Photo: R. Vilkama)

Fragmentary piece of the left side of

mandible with tooth sockets of

deciduous teeth. (Photo: R. Vilkama)

CREMATION 1

• Most likely the cremation contains only one individual, a child

approximately 1 to 6 years of age

• Age estimation is based on the fragmentary deciduous teeth

and the fragment of mandible with deciduous tooth sockets

• Also several artefacts were found from cremation 1: fragments

of melted bronze, several small links of a bronze chain, an iron

needle, probably from a brooch, and from the bottom of the

cremation a badly melted oval bronze brooch with an intact

iron needle

CREMATION 2

Lumbar vertebra of an adult from superior view and side; fragmentary radius of a young individual. (Photos: R. Vilkama)

CREMATION 2

• All together six fragments of adult

mandibles and maxillae were found. • Age estimation: over 17 (M3 erupted)

• Fragments of radius seem to belong to (a)

young individual(s) because the fusion of

the distal epiphysis is not yet completed in

them • Age estimation based on the distal

fragements of radius: 15 to 20 years, could

be also somewhat older

• All found vertebrae belong to adult

individuals and especially the lumbar

vertebrae show pathology

• It is possible that cremation 2 contains

more than one individual

Fragmentary mandible and maxilla with the tooth sockets

of all three permanent molars. (Photos: R. Vilkama)

CREMATED BONE IN THE FILL OF GRAVE 3

PNO 2845 Fragmentary maxilla (left side) of a child approximately 1,5 to 5 years of age. (Photo: R. Vilkama)

PNO 1510 Fragmentary frontal bone (left side) of a

child. (Photo: R. Vilkama)

PNO 2574 Fragmentary mandible (left side) of an individual over 17

years of age. (Photo: R. Vilkama)

PNO 4994 Fragmentary maxilla (right side) of a child

approximately 2 to 4 years of age. (Photo: R. Vilkama)

CREMATED BONE IN THE FILL OF GRAVE 3

• The two fragments of maxillae and

one fragment of mandible with

deciduous tooth sockets could

belong to a same child (toddler),

but they can also represent several

individuals

• The mandible with permanent

tooth sockets belongs to an

individual over 17 years of age

• Possibly also bones from a prenatal

child (or children) are present

PNO 2216 Possibly: the developing foramen

transversarium in a perinatal cervical neural arch (??) ,

inferior and superior views. (Photos: R. Vilkama)

CHILDREN IN THE LATE IRON AGE

• At least some children

had a social role

requiring their burial in

a cemetery after death

• These roles, however,

were likely varied

• In Suutarinniemi: four

cases, four differing

stories

GRAVE 9

• In all respects a ”normal”

burial

• Aside from the age of the

occupant this grave in no way

stands out from the

inhumations of adults

GRAVE 11

• Also a ”regular” grave but

with some unique features

• Appears to be on the edge of

the cemetery

• A slight deviation in the

alignment of the grave pit

Map: Mikko Heikkinen

GRAVE 3 & CREMATIONS

• Usually cremations are

assumed to be older than

inhumations

• Startigraphical relations

suggest, however, that the

cremations are

contemporary with the

inhumation in Grave 3

Photo: J. Ikäheimo

• The stratigraphical relationship

of Cremation 1 and Grave 3

means that the deposition of

the creamation is either

younger or contemporaneous

with the event of burial in

Grave 3

• Field observations suggest that

Cremation 1 is

contemporaneous with Grave 3

Distribution of metal artefacts

Horizontal distribution of

cremated bone

1,5 1,7 1,9 2,1 2,3 2,5 2,7 2,9 3,1 3,3 3,5

Cremated bone

Occupant of Grave 3

Surface of Cremation 2

2 2,1 2,2 2,3 2,4 2,5 2,6 2,7 2,8 2,9

Cremated bone

Surface ofCremation 2

• The vertical and horizontal distribution of cremated bone in the

grave pit of Grave 3 is very even

• The vertical distribution of cremated bone in what would be

the fill of the grave pit of Cremation 2 together with field

observations indicate that the pit of Cremation 2 has been dug,

or at least has been open, contemporaneously with Grave 3

• The distribution of cremated bone within Grave 3 is thus

intentional

CHILDREN IN THE LATE IRON AGE

• Four different cases where children have been buried

• Grave 9 demonstrates that at least some children were given an equal treatment when

compared to adults

• Grave 3 and the cremations seem to indicate a more complex social structure possibly

reflecting status differences. • Cremation 2 contains signs of an individual who may have been involved in literally back-

breaking labour from an early age

• Cremation 1 was richly furnished

• Grave 11 might show some signs of Christian influence, but this may be a too

stratightforward interpretation. Burial of a foetus might also be associated with fear.

Social roles of children during the Late Iron Age. Child burials in Suutarinniemi cemetery (Ii),...

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