Current researches on Bell BeakersProceedings of the 15th International Bell Beaker Conference:

From Atlantic to Ural.5th 9th May 2011

Poio Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain

M. Pilar Prieto Martínez & Laure Salanova coords.

2013. Santiago de Compostela Spain

© Galician ArchaeoPots: wikipot.com

ISBN: 978-84-941537-0-9

Depósito Legal: C 1281-2013

Printed in Santiago de Compostela Spain . June 2013

Editorial: Copynino-Centro de Impresión Digital

The Bell Beaker funeral group from Sierentz "Les Villas d’Aurèle" HautRhin, France5

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Vergnaud, L.

AbstractThe site of Sierentz, Les Villas d’Aurèle Alsace, France , excavated within the framework of a salvage archeology project in 2010, is part of the recent data renewal on Bell Beaker culture in the south of the Upper Rhine plain. Four graves were found, each containing at least two decorated bell beakers. In one of these graves, which was uncommonly well preserved, some signs of a wooden structure were discovered. This element makes this site one of the richest burial assemblages of the region.

Key wordsGraves, bell beaker.

Presentation

A preventive archaeology operation took place in 2010 in Sierentz “Les Villas d’Aurèle” Alsace, France , on the top of the small hill of Monenberg, leading to the discovery of 4 Bell Beaker graves.

The four graves are arranged along a 55 m North West/SouthEast line Fig.1 . From North to South the following were found:

Grave 137 Fig. 2 : an oval shaped pit, with an irregular flat bottom. It was discovered during the diagnostic operation. It contained the skeleton of an adult who laid in the centre of the pit, in flexed position on the right side, head to the South East.

The deceased was buried with 2 decorated bell beakers n°2 and 3 , which only their bottom were found, 3 V buttons n°4, 5 and 7 , 1 eight shaped fragment of a bone object n°6 , 1 flint stake n°1 and a fragment of grindstone n°8 . Only the position of one beaker n°3 , bone and flint objects are known and shown on the plan. The diagnostic report mentions wooden elements, suggesting the existence of a container.

Grave 68 Fig. 3 and 4 : a quadrangular pit with rounded corners. The body of a man, aged between 30 and 59 years, was put in the North West quarter of the structure, on the left side in a flexed position, his head to the North West.

His equipment Fig. 4 is composed of 2 decorated bell beakers n°4 and 5 , 3 flint arrowheads n°1 to 3 , 1 schist wristguard n°6

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Figure 1. Localisation of Sierentz Haut Rhin, France and plan of the funeral group

Figure 2. Grave 137: Plan and grave goods

Figure 3. General view of grave 68. Photography: L. Vergnaud, Antea Archéologie

and 1 “grooved stone” made in pink sandstone n°10 . A boar’s tusk n°9 was stood, almost in a vertical position, pointing down, near the left knee of the man, so we can assume that it was maybe originally attached to a support. Some others flint elements complete the assemblage: 1 triangular stake n°8 , 2 little blades n°11 and 12 and 1 triangular item with concave base and bifacial retouches n°7 . 2 of these items n°7 and 11 have traces of ferric oxide on their surface, indicating a probable use as lighter flint. One of the arrowheads n°3 was found on its edge, suggesting that it was fitted into a handle. The wristguard was located between the two bones of the left forearm of the individual, slightly below the radius, its flat side facing up.

The existence of a wooden burial chamber is attested by several factors: traces of wooden floor on the bottom of the pit and under the skeleton, the discovery of 4 fragments of calcified posts with beveled ends which appeared only on the bottom of the pit Fig. 5 , and finally the observations made on the filling of the pit. In practical terms, the use of post to support the chamber does not seem necessary in a compact sediment such

as loess. Thus, we can imagine that in addition to the chamber, there was small superstructure, possibly sub aerial Fig. 6 .

Grave 69 Fig. 7 : a quadrangular pit with rounded corners which contained the remains of a 17/19 year old man. He was laid to the left side, in flexed position, with his head facing to the North West.

Behind his back were put 2 decorated bell beakers n°9 and 10 . Under his left hip bone we found 7 arrowheads n°1 to 7 . All were pointing to the same direction, and some of which were on the edge, suggesting they were fitted and contained in a quiver. 4 of them have a triangular shape, with a concave base, while the other 3 belong to the “barbed and tanged” type. Note that the flights are rarely preserved. Near to these was a “lighter kit” made by association of a piece of iron oxide n°15 and cortical stakes with traces of ferric oxide on his surface n°14 . Under the right hip bone we found a bow shaped pendant in bone, with a vertical perforation n°11 . Next to the feet was a group of objects made of 3 flint retouched cortical stakes n°16 to 18 , 1 sandstone “grooved stone” n°12 and a triangular shaped

arrowhead n°8 , nearly symmetrical, with a concave base and bifacial retouches, whose type is slightly reminiscent of the local Middle Neolithic.

A wooden architecture is quite conceivable, even if it is less obvious than in grave 68. The deceased’s belongings were indeed found in a small hollow at the bottom of the pit, in which some traces of wooden floor were also observed. The limits of this hollow correspond to the di erent layers observed in the filling of the pit. We can therefore imagine a container similar to the one of burial 68, although without a superstructure Fig. 8 .

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Figure 4. Grave 68: Plan and grave goodsFigure 5. Detail view of a calcified post from grave 68. Photography: L. Verganud, Antea Archéologie

Grave 10 Fig. 9 : a quadrangular pit with rounded corner, very eroded. Because of the very poor state preservation, the initial position of the body is not known. Only some fragments of skull and unspecified long bones, belonging to a 5 year old child, were found in the North East quarter of the pit. Two decorated bell beakers were placed next to him, of which only their bottom remains.

The funeral group within Bell Beaker funerary practices

Spatial organization

From a local perspective, the spatial organization of the burial group does not have many comparisons, except the 3 tombs from Habsheim East Haut Rhin Wolf 1969 which were arranged along a North/South axis. Some sites in the Lorraine

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Figure 8. Grave 69: Plan and grave goods

Figure 6. Grave 68: Reconstruction hypothesis

region also have this type of organization. However, the most numerous comparisons are located in the Bavarian region: Augsburg Haustetten Stadt Augsburg Bosch 2008 , Germering “Obere Bahnhofstr” Ldkr. Fürstenfeldbruck Guckenbielh, Piller 2006 , Künzing Bruck Ldkr. Deggendorf Schmotz 1992 or Landau Südost Ldkr. Dingolfing Landau Husty 1999 , for example. The main axis is North/South, but there can be some variation of 45°.

Architecture

Remains of burial architectures are not uncommon in the eastern Bell Beake area r. Burials that yield these traces are often but not always associated with a ditch and some may have been

covered by a little mound Drenthe, Lohof 2005; Turek 2006; Salanova 2011 . There is no evidence of this type of construction in Sierentz.

However, some of these graves contain post holes in each corner of the pit. As we noted before, depending on the type of sediment, posts do not seem to be necessary to support a chamber. Therefore, it is possible that some graves had a superstructure rising above ground, although it is di cult to prove in the state of the documentation Turek 2006 .

In France, recent excavations have increasingly highlighted these constructions, particularly in the northern half of the country Salanova 2011 . The graves from

Sierentz are therefore part of this trend.

Bodies’ positions and orientations

Due to erosion, the positions and orientations of only three of the four

bodies were observed, but all of them fit well within Bell Beaker funeral practices. The two men are laid on their left side, in flexed positions, with their heads facing North West. Subject 137 was also in a flexed position but on the right side, with their head facing South East. This position according also to its o erings suggests she was a woman. Indeed, the Bell Beaker funeral practice shows a strong sexual dichotomy.

However, there are slight di erences between subject 68 and the two others. The corpse seems to be more contracted, and he was put in the North West quarter of the pit, while the others were in a central position.

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Figure 7. Grave 69: Plan and grave goods

Grave goods

The four complete beakers from tombs 68 and 69 are S shaped, with a concave bottom, as are the four bottoms from graves 10 and 137. We can assume that these bottoms may belong to an Sshaped beaker. The way the ornamentation is covering the entire vase, leaving very little empty area, is reminiscent of the eastern fashion. Some of the burials from Czech Republic yielded beakers with very similary ornamentation to the ones from Sierentz graves 569/84 de Pavlov I B eclav ; 44,45/76, 72,73/76, 350/77 from Dolní V stonice III B eclav ; 47/89 from Záhlinice Krom í Dvo ák et al. 1996 .

The arrowheads with a concave base point to the eastern part of the Bell Beaker, while the barbed and tanged ones are western type. However, we find one case showing a barbed and tanged type associated with a concave base arrowhead, in grave B from P edmosti P erov Hájek 1966 .

Wristguards seems to be a relatively uncommon type of goods in Northern France Salanova 2011 . The one from Sierentz is similar to the Sangmeister G type. The closest comparison is from grave 3 from Kunheim Haut Rhin Kraft 1947 and burial

515 from Mondelange “La sente” Moselle Lefebvre 2010 . More examples exist in the eastern area’s tomb: Trieching Ldkr. Dingolfing Landau, Niederbayern; gr.1 Engelhardt 1998 , Gemeinlebarn St. Pölten, Niederösterreich; verf.2071 Neugelbauer, Neugelbauer 1993/94 , Rosnice Hradec Kràlové, Morava; gr.1/59 Vokolek 1965 ,

P edmosti P erov, Moravia; gr.B Hájek 1966 , lapanice II Brno, Moravia; gr.6/35 Dvorak, Hájek

1990 .

The two “grooved stones” from graves 68 and 69 appear to be the only ones found in France. These objects are more frequently found in the eastern regions of the Bell Beakers. There does not seem to be any specific rule as to these objects’ form, and their only common feature is their one rectilinear groove, usually shallow Bosh 2008 . Object n°10 fig.4 may be an uncommon variant of these goods. One similar example comes from graves 18/1985 from

Rousínov II Vy kov, Moravia R i ková 2008 . These objects are probably a tool associated with making arrow shafts.

The bow shaped pendant is a typical Bell Beaker ornament. Quite rare in France, these objects are more commonly found in the eastern area, where they are usually decorated with incised motifs. Two general types are define by the direction of the perforation, either vertical or horizontal. The first type, which the one from grave 69 belongs to, seems to be more uncommon than the second. Nevertheless, some examples have been found in graves from München Sendling “Wol ratshauserstr” Stadt München, Oberbayern Muller Karpe 1961 , OsterhofenAltenmarkt Ldkr.Deggendorf, Niederbayern Schmotz 1994 , Straubing Alburg “Stadttäcker “ Stadt Straubing, Niederbayern Hundt 1958 , Schöllschitz/ ele ice Brno, Moravia Schirmeisen 1934 or Samborzec Sandomierz, Ma opolska Kamie ska, Kulczycka Leciejewiczowa 1970 .

V buttons are usually found in Bell Beaker contexts, even if, in the south of the upper Rhine’s plain, only grave 2 from E ringen Kirchen Kr. Lörrach has yielded 3 of them Kraft 1947 . The number of copies put in the grave is highly variable,

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Figure 9. Grave 10: Plan and grave goods

from one to several tens. Even if these types of goods are not specific to women’s burials, most of the finds are from women’s graves.

Object n°6 from grave 137 appears to be more unusual. No good comparison was found in literature but during the recent international congress held in Sion, P. Courtaud showed us a similar object found in the Tumulus des Sables Gironde, France .

Finally, boar’s tusk from grave 68 is also an uncommon finding. In France, one of these items is point out in the Tumulus du Gendarme Lemercier, Tchérémissino 2011 . Although these objects seem to be less uncommon in eastern regions, they are not necessarily usual. In Bavaria, Czech Republic and Poland, only ten of these are identified. The ones from grave 224/77 of Dolní V stonice III B eclav, Moravia Dvo ák et al. 1996 are perforated on their proximal end, but the others from Altdorf Ldkr. Landshut, Niederbayern; gr.2 Christlein 1980 ,

Burgweinting Stadt Regensburg, Oberpfalz; obj.1 Schröter 2005 , Künzing Bruck Ldkr. Deggendorf, Niederbayern; gr.9 Schmotz 1992 , Laa an der Thaya Mistelbach,

Niederösterreich Hetzer 1949 and P edmostí P erov, Moravia; gr.B Hájek 1966 have not. Four Boar’s tusks were also found in the Amesbury archer’s grave Wilts, England Fitzpatrick 2009 .

Dating

A series of four radiocarbon dates were performed on bone samples from the two male burials. The results are:

Grave 68: Poz 41226: 3875 +/ 35 and Poz 41227: 3910 +/ 35.

Calibrated and combined: 2460 2346 Av. J. C. 1 .

Grave 69: Poz 41228: 3925 +/ 30 and Poz 41229: 3935 +/ 35

Calibrated and combined: 2474 2350 Av. J. C. 1 .

Despite the plateau of the calibration curve, these dates would place the burials in an early phase, although not the earliest, of Bell Beaker, echoing with the study of funeral items. Indeed, according to the periodisation proposed by V. Heyd for the south of eastern area Heyd 2000 Sierentz’s graves would be place in an early phase of “regionalization”: on the one hand, no so called “monotonous” ornamented beaker which would be characteristic of an early phase was found but, on the other hand, the non decorated ceramics which would appear it in a full middle phase is no more present. Most of the other comparisons made seem to support this attribution.

Discussion

It appears from all these comparisons that the Sierentz funeral group maintains close ties with the eastern Bell Beaker area,

especially the southern part: Bavaria, Moravia, Bohemia and Austria. Links with the Western area, however, are noticeable, especially through the presence of barbed and tanged arrowheads.

Beyond the similarities with graves from the Bell Beaker world, a kind of homogeneity distinguishes the burial group from Sierentz.

One is the systematic presence of two decorated beakers as the only ceramic goods in each grave. Perhaps this feature could be interpreted as a desire to show a membership of a smaller community. This specific feature also applies to the children from grave 10. In Bell Beakers’ burial practices, children are treated in two main ways. Some are placed in an adult’s burial but some have their own graves. This practice is well documented in the eastern regions Turek 2000 but also exists in France La Grotte Murée, Montagnac Montpezat Alpes dehaute Provence Courtin et al. 2011 for example. . In these graves, children are treated at least as an adult, both in orientation/position of their bodies and in goods put with them. Burial 10 from Sierentz, fit in this practice, thus asserting that the child belongs to the community.

Another refers to the two male burials, which were in a central position within the group, and which contained weaponry items and remains of burial architecture. Moreover, the two men shared a discrete trait whose origin may be genetic. The man 68, however, is distinguished by the probably wooden superstructure above his grave, the stone wrist guard and the boar’s tusk. These goods could be considered as signs of a di erent status than man 69. In a general view, the location of the graves, on the top of a little hill, overlooking the valley, eventually combined with some other monuments, could have helped to make them visible in the landscape.

In conclusion, the burial group from Sierentz, “Les Villas d’Aurèle” adds to the 24 other Bell Beaker funerary sites from the south of the upper plain of the Rhine. With its good state of preservation and wealth of funerary goods, it provides some interesting new data for the region.

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