Professional Documents
Culture Documents
87-99
Daniela Heilmann
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitt Mnchen
Summary
In the Early Iron Age, the southern part of the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia
(FYROM) features a group of cemeteries which show very special burial rites and clearly differ
from the usual habits in the Central Balkan area. The funeral rite (inhumations in stone cists) is
standardized as well as the offerings in the graves.
Considering grave vessel combinations and their contexts, five groups which are distinct from
each other, can be identified. The question is: are the different ceramic forms are an allusion to
different rites carried out on the tombs, according to their social role?
The article is based upon a modified lecture at the conference in Toulouse Lo je t dans la tombe.
A teur et t oi du e ise e s e fu raire. I would like to tha k Prof. Jea -Marc Luce and AnneZahra Chemsseddoha from Universit de Toulouse 2-Le Mirail for the invitation and for the opportunity
to publish the following paper.
1
1. Introduction
1. 1. The Lower Vardar Valley
In the Early Iron Age, the southern part of the Former Yugoslavian Republic of
Macedonia (FYROM)2 features a group of cemeteries, which show very special burial rites and
clearly differ from the usual habits in the Central Balkan area.
This group has been described by R. Vasi as Gevgelija-group3 and is situated in a
geographically unified region (fig. 1). In modern Macedonia, the Vardar meanders mostly
through mountains. After passing the Demir Kapija, the river gets into a more plane region,
which is less forested and appears hilly and is already influenced by Mediterranean climate.
Figure 1. Cemeteries mentioned in the text (map basis Quantum GIS 1.8.0).
The cemeteries found in this area are remarkable because their burials differ from those
found further north4, especially since the Vardar was the most important north-south connection
in prehistoric times and was certainly not unutilized. Settlements in this region were thus
In the follo i g article is used the ter Macedo ia for FYROM .
Vasi,
, p.
-711.
4
In the Early Iron Age from the Balkan area known predominantly grave mounds; however in the Vardar Valley are
found necropolises with flat graves.
geographically convenient for commerce and transport and could easily integrate into lines of
communication.
1. 2. History of research
The first findings in the Vardar Valley of Macedonia were brought to light in larger soil
movements during the two world wars. Many discoveries have since been lost. From 1938 a
letter by H. Dragendorff has survived, which shows that he was able to document the graves
which were excavated in 1917 in Dedeli and Marvinci.5 From then on, the flat tombs out of stone
settings with inhumations were well known and because of their rich bronze finds it was possible
to date them into the Early Iron Age.
An intensive research activity started again from the mid 1970s, during which the
cemeteries Marvinci, Suva Reka (Gevgelija), Dedeli, Milci and elenite (Valandovo) have been
systematically investigated.6 D. Mitrevskis monograph on the necropolis of Dedeli, published in
1991, provides a great number of good observations and findings of the excavations there in the
1970s and 1980s. He provided much important information and made a major contribution to
our understanding of the region during the Iron Age.7
The section of the Vardar in modern Greek Macedonia is also lined with cemeteries that
can be unambiguously attributed to this group. The necropoleis of Bohemitsa and Chauchitsa
were also discovered and examined very early.8 In 1971, nine cist tombs were discovered
southwest of the city of Giannitsa, which are very close to the ones found at Marvinci and Dedeli
as far as construction and inventory are concerned.9
Pingel, 1970, p. 7.
Further literature for research history: Vasi,
, p.
-702; Mitrevski, 1991; Mitrevski, Temov, 1996;
Mitrevski, 1997.
7
Mitrevski, 1991.
8
Rey, 1932 ; Casson, 1920 ; Casson, 1925.
9
Chrysostomou, 1991.
10
Mitrevski, 1991 ; Husenovski, 1997 ; Mitre ski, Te o ,
; Videski,
; Pai,
; Pai,
.
6
Common among inhumations in the Lower Vardar Valley is a stretched position in socalled stone cists (fig. 2). The tombs consist of several stone slabs: at the lower and upper part
a stone slab was placed, the sides were constructed - depending on the size of the boxes - of
two, three or more established flagstones. As a covering one or more stone slabs were used.
Figure 2. Distribution of the grave constructions among the graves of the Lower Vardar Valley (n= 217).
Occasionally the floor was paved with stones, but usually the body was laid on the
ground. The stone cists were probably not buried very deep into the ground, because they were
easily found close under the earth layer. There is also evidence that some of the graves were
used several times.
Burials in pithoi are to be considered as a special burial custom. In two of five registered
pithoi the skeleton of a child was found. From the site of Suva Reka, two pithoi are known. 11
Grave 43 contained a skeleton in a stretched position, wherein the upper body is slightly bent
and the legs were crossed. Accompanying artefacts have been found in the two tombs, dating
them to the Early Iron Age. The distribution area of burials in pithoi is oriented to the south: They
appear in the Peloponnese from the Geometric period onwards and are found up to Classical
times in small numbers in flat necropoleis.12 Small numbers of inhumations in pithoi are also
found at Vergina, where they appear from the 10th century BC onwards.13
It is interesting to note, however, that there are exceptions: the richly furnished burial of
a woman (grave 15 in Marvinci), for example, did not take place in an elaborate stone cist, but in
a simple pit in the ground.14
Pai
, p. .
Boardman, Kurtz, 1971, 71.
13
Rhomiopoulou, Kilian-Dirlmeier, 1989, p. 88-89.
14
Videski, 1999, 97.
11
12
15
Suva Reka grave 17 contains the remains of a child, buried in a stone cist with a length of 1 meter.
Dedeli grave 60, Marvinci grave 20, Milci grave 8 and 27.
17
Woman graves with single fibula: Dedeli grave 37, Suva Reka grave 2 and 9.
18
Dedeli grave 11.
16
variation among the wheel-made jugs19, the vessel shape jug or olpe is found in about twothirds of the graves.20 Kantharoi and/or cups also occur and are often used in combination with
the jugs.
Figure 3. a. jug with cut-away neck (Dedeli grave 22, Mitrevski 1991, t. 6.); b. kantharos (Dedeli grave 19, Mitrevski 1991,
t. 5.); c. cup (Dedeli grave 19, Mitrevski 1991, t. 5.); d. olpe (Dedeli grave 11, Mitrevski 1991, t. 2.).
Those from Chauchitsa are relatively large, plump and monochrome, while the jugs from the more northern
areas appear smaller and proportioned and have a characteristic stripe painting, which may indicate a different
chronological position.
20
In 68% of closed finds from tombs of the necropolis Dedeli, Milci, Suva Reka and Marvinci jugs or olpai occur.
21
Kilian, 1975, p. 22.
22
Heurtley, 1939, p. 103.
23
Hochstetter, 1984, p. 51.
24
Georgiev, 1987, p. 52-53.
the level of the mouth. In the variant with the spherical body of the jug, the handles crosssection is round and also the cutout is a little lower.25
This particular jug shape and ornamentation is characteristic of the Early Iron Age in
Macedonia, where it is known only from cist graves. However, it is not widely distributed, but
rather limited to the Lower Vardar Valley. In the direction of north and east, they appear up until
the region of tip, Pelagonia and the Ohrid region are dominated by the matt painted pottery, a
technique that was also applied to other vessel types. This leaves the south. Among the
previously published pottery from Kastanas our type does not occur, but so far only the wheelmade pottery from layers 19 to 11, which includes the Late Bronze Age, has been published.26
The dating of this form is based mainly on the graves in Dedeli. D. Mitrevski has divided
the cemetery into different phases. The jugs show up in Phase IIa and IIb, in absolute dates in
the seventh century and the first quarter of the 6th century BC.27
The jar from grave 2 in Dedeli seems like the hand-made equivalents.
Jung, 2002.
27
Mitrevski, 1991, p. 51.
28
Simon, 1976, p. 48-49.
29
Dedeli grave 11, grave 26, grave 31 or grave 66.
26
Macedonia they are found in stone cist graves and belong to the same temporal and spatial
context as the striped painted jugs.
Variant 2 is less round bodied as the first one and has a low base. The neck is very short
and cylindrical, the rim straight. The strap handles are relatively broad and are grooved in the
middle, and they extend well beyond the rim. The clay is ochre to reddish, and the vessels have
a red-glossy layer. On average, they are about 12.5 cm high, and they are very wide-mouthed.
Figure 4. Distribution of the vessel combinations among the graves of the Lower
Vardar Valley (n= 40, graves with special forms are not included).
30
The following will attempt to highlight the respective combinations and their contexts, in
order to find a way to hone in on the question, from where this apparent regularity came.
This analysis will take into account a total of 52 grave contexts with ceramic vessels, all
of which are single graves and can be described as closed finds (table). Multiple burials were
not included, because the vessels can no longer be assigned to an individual and the question
of whether there is a relationship between the deceased and the type of vessel in the grave
cannot be answered. In these single graves has been found 43 jugs, 10 olpai, 22 kantharoi and
16 cups. 14 graves contain vessels with not reconstructible forms or special forms which occur
only several times and where no regularity can be observed.
31
10
2. 2. 5. Group V: Olpai
From 26% of the single graves are known olpai. Stone cists with this ceramic form are
relatively small with a range from 0.84 to 1.30 m. Because of the small size, they can be
considered as childrens graves. Orientations are even in the cemeteries irregular, what arises
from the fact, that children are buried within or in the case of single graves besides adult
graves and follow their orientation.
11
not with kantharoi. The graves with kantharoi seem to have besides the regular forms like
buttons, beads and earrings additional forms like armlets, fibulae or a torque.
On the one hand, the possibility remains that it is a chronological phenomenon and the
older kantharos was replaced by the more recent form of the cup. On the other hand, the
kantharos in the Balkan area is a very old and long-lasting shape. In Kastanas it was already
known in the Bronze Age and the two-handled form is found - albeit in modified form - in each
layer.32 And in later cemeteries, as in Trebenite33 and Sindos34, the shape is typical and
common, so there is no reason to assume that the form has been replaced by a one-handle for
reasons of style.
The third group of adult individuals is less furnished and seems to be mens graves or
very scarce furnished womans graves.
The full set does not occur in Marvinci or Dedeli, but only in some graves in Milci and
Suva Reka and represent male graves.
As already mentioned, the fifth group with the olpai is composed probably of childrens
graves.
If the graves and their contents are compared, a difference can be made in general
between the cemeteries Dedeli/Marvinci and Suva Reka/Milci. Only in Suva Reka and Milci
occur full sets and cups as well as kantharoi appear in male graves. There seems to be a
slight difference regarding the conventions of grave furniture.
Further two groups within the womans graves can be established, which only slightly
differ from each other, male individuals are often buried with jugs and children with olpai.
However, is there a meaning behind the differentiated addition of ceramic forms or is it to be
seen as accidental and insignificant?
12
The rituals at the grave itself are difficult to reconstruct, but we know that at some point the body
was laid down in the prepared grave and probably followed by the ceramics, and was then
finally covered with stone slabs. Striking social inequalities cannot be determined: The grave
constructions are uniform, so for any individual the same effort was done. Nevertheless,
distinctions were made by giving the deceased different ceramic forms or using different
ceramic forms during burial rituals.
Regarding the olpai, they were probably added to childrens graves - a rare hint that the
vessel form can correlate with a certain age and/or a certain social role. Could this not also
apply to the other vessel types as well?
Kantharoi in connection with a jug seem to be assigned mainly to adult women, which
were also wearing certain forms of jewelry. In addition to beads and pendants they could wear
armlets, spectacle fibulae or a torque - bronze jewelry which has maybe a higher value
because of its size than smaller beads or pendants did.
The cups were mainly laid down in stone cists for adults, but also in smaller ones: grave
34 from Dedeli is just 1.32 meters long - probably too small for a fully-grown individual in a
stretched-out position plus grave goods. Spectacle fibulae, torques or bracelets are missing, but
the individual is buried with many glass beads, bronze pendants and - a diadem. In the Glasinac
region as well, diadems are found in graves of young woman. In the tumuli of Podilijak, three
graves of 10-12 year old children contain diadems.35 The same can be observed for grave
mounds in modern Albania, where individuals, which were buried with diadems, have been also
young woman.36 So, this grave could be a hint, that maids did not receive a kantharos, but a
cup.
On the basis of the graves in Vergina, S. Pabst-Drrer assigns a special meaning also to
spectacle fibulae. Individuals, who wore a pair of spectacle fibulae, are by their jewelry and one
anthropological date identified as adult women. In one grave a man with a sword and a woman
with two spectacle fibulae have been found, so that the assumption is plausible that this
costume could be worn by married women.37 In the proposed Group I are also noticed three
graves with double fibula costume, which could have had a similar meaning also for the woman
in the Lower Vardar Valley.
3. Conclusion
In the Early Iron Age of the Vardar Valley specific burial rites are noted, which appear at
first glance very homogeneous. Taking a closer look at the grave constructions and especially
their content, some slight differences can be observed. Men, woman and children differ by
wearing certain personal artifacts at the moment when the burial took place. Certain jewelry and
o i,
, p. .
Papadopoulos, 2010, p. 35-43.
37
Pabst-Drrer, 2007, p. 649-651.
35
36
13
weapons are found in graves for adult individuals and some objects, like the mentioned diadems
and spectacle fibulae, seem to have had a special symbolic meaning.
The proposed classification of ceramic combinations from selected graves of the Lower
Vardar Valley and the comparison with the personal furniture of individuals in these graves
seem to indicate a relationship between the added ceramic form and the age as well as the
gender of the deceased.
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15