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La TÈNE funerary customsLa TÈNE funerary customs

presenoldeb

Course Web Site:

www.courseweb.uottawa.ca/CLT3140

Twitter: @celticUottawa

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http://www.courseweb.uottawa.ca/CLT3140http://www.courseweb.uottawa.ca/CLT3140

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Cemeteries are the key to the archaeology of the Celtsa! may of the greatest sur"i"ig LaTène treasuresha"e come to us from gra"es a! burial sites

#urials a! gra"e goo!s tell us a great !eal about theCelts:Their belief i the immortality of the soul a!$rogressio to a afterlifeThe status of the !ecease! a! his/her family or

commuityLa"ish burials a!"ertise wealth a! !istictio o agra! scale.%ital iformatio about the li"es of the $eo$le a! theirtra!ig a! cultural cotacts


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The gra"es are all that remai of what must ha"e beeelaborate fueral ceremoies& cla gatherigs& feasts&$rocessios& a! rites at the burial grou!.

'"e i areas with rich cemetery remais someitriguig aomalies e(ist. )or e(am$le& ifats a!chil!re are "irtually abset or certailyu!erre$resete!.

This may reflect that some classes of the commuitymay ha"e bee e(clu!e! from formal burial.


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Burial traditionsBurial traditions

The La T*e burial tra!itios cotiue earlierthemes: e(te!e! east+west ihumatio

u!er barrows.,ra"e goo!s geerally iclu!e bro-e fibulae

brooch& clas$& bracelets for wome a! iroshort swor!s a! s$ears for me.

igher status gra"es eiheim& ,ermayare set a$art by gol! 2ewellery& 2et& amber&two+wheele! chariots& "essels for wie+!rikig.


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Cemeteries with rich burials are otassociate! with the kow hill+forts.

Certai areas of )race for istace ha"e$articular themes: the Cham$age areaha! more chariots gra"es tha elsewhere.

ome are burie! with bro-e torues.The earlier La Tee burials show greaterwealth i gra"es tha later.


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La TèNE funerary customsLa TèNE funerary customs

5 6th cetury "ehicle gra"e from Châlons-sur-Marne, Frane


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Waldalgesheim StyleWaldalgesheim Style05/22/16 La TENE Funerary Customs !

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Waldalgesheim StyleWaldalgesheim Style

Cur"iliear motifsLate 4th to 3r! cetury)irst fou! i the al!algesheim gra"e

ear #o& ,ermay

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Burial traditions in early La TeneBurial traditions in early La Tene

The early La T*e i Cham$age seems toha"e come to a su!!e e!. 7igratio8

The subseuet $erio!s 900+100#C re"ertto sim$ler ihumatio cemeteries& withbo!ies e(te!e! with hea!s to the west&with weak social rakig& i!icate! by gra"e

goo!s $ersoal oramets a! wea$os.eca$itate! burials i both allstatt a! La

Tee.

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This hits at the com$le( cult of the!eca$itate! hea! t;te cou$

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La Tee 7irrow

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)or !rikig= the >therworl!

)east

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La Tee ===swor!s from

gra"es

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Burial traditions in later La TeneBurial traditions in later La Tene

The gra"e goo!s of such barrows hasbee wi!ely acce$te! as e"i!ece of a

belief i a cocrete >therworl! where the!ea! woul! ee! symbols of their life a!status i this worl!.

?et& the real com$le(ity of fuerary$ractices has bee !emostrate! i the!isco"eries at ,ouray+sur+5ro!e& iorther )race.


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ournayournay

,ouray was a small ritual eclosure setwithi a large later iro age o$$i!um of

the #ello"aci.The earliest $hase was at the e! of the

early la Tee $erio! La Tee =+ 4th cetury #C.

,ouray has $ro"i!e! a u$rece!ete!wealth of iformatio about Celtic ritual$ractises.


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05/22/16 La TENE Funerary Customs 1!

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05/22/16 La TENE Funerary Customs 1"

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ournayournay

The archaeology allows some sese of thebelief system to be re"eale!.

This was a $lace of sacrifice a! has re"eale!a cor!o of sacrifie! aimals 9000 arou!the cetral cultic area.

ome of the sacrifices are i fact huma.

The mai archaeologist has state! that theremais of the humas outcasts&"oluteers8 re"eal belief i the log+sta!igcult of the hea! a! acestor cult.

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ournay and !ibemont"sur"#ncreournay and !ibemont"sur"#ncre

The retetio of the boes seems to ha"ebee cetral to these cults.

The site i ibemot is e"e moreghoulish. There huma boes ha"e beeke$t to costruct a cultic s$ace wherecertai rituals o !oubt were hel!.

eliberate !ismembermet of hu!re!s ofi!i"i!uals.


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#rchaeology in $rance#rchaeology in $rance

'"i!etly !yasties !rew their $olitical 2ustificatio from a sese that $ower was

wiel!e! by $ermissio of the >therworl!.Chieftais !eri"e! their $olitical a!

ecoomic authority by beig like! to the>therworl! a! the go!s through theme!ium of the burial rituals.


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chieftainschieftains

Chiefs may therefore ha"e hel! certai$riestly authority i carryig out rituals o

behalf of the larger society.ome elemets of a cult of the acestors

may also ha"e bee i"ol"e!.


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La Tene burials in BritainLa Tene burials in Britain

5$art from some "ery s$ecific areas?orkshire& the a! ' of #ritai&

e"i!ece for burial by ihumatio orcrematio is e(cessi"ely rare.

>e way to e($lai this is to suggest thatormally bo!ies were !is$ose! of i a!ifferet way.

'(caratio e($osure of the bo!y a!the ihumatio i gra"es or $its.


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La Tene burials in BritainLa Tene burials in Britain

This im$lies a limial $erio! whe the s$iritwas thought of as ligerig& before

!e$artig. This also allowe! the use of boesas relics. >r crematio.

Culiffe suggests that e(caratio $latformsmay ha"e e(iste!. 5lso& similar ki!s of ritual

e(iste! i the Aeolithic a! #ro-e ages i#ritai.

ome boes of chieftais might ha"e beeuse! i fertility rituals.


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La Tene burials in Britain%La Tene burials in Britain%

e"eral other tra!itios seem to ha"eflourishe! i #ritai howe"er:

The ?orkshire 5rras Tra!itioThe 5ylesfor!+warlig Crematios

The Bit tra!itio of Cetral outher'gla!


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The &or'shire #rras Tradition ()*The &or'shire #rras Tradition ()*

ometime !urig the 3r! or 4th cetury #C atra!itio of burial a$$ears o the ?orkshire

wol!s high& o$e moorla!. They are "erysimilar to those fou! i the Cham$age+7are area of )race. The Barisii.

=t cosists of burial beeath a barrow a!

surrou!e! by a suare uarry !itch. Thereare barrow cemeteries.

ome of the burials are "ery richD i thesese that the bo!y is fou! with a chariot.


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#rras Culture#rras Culture05/22/16 La TENE Funerary Customs 2#

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&or'shire #rras tradition&or'shire #rras tradition

7ost of the bo!ies are crouche!& a fewe(te!e!.

7aria burials slightly !ifferetly burie!their !ea! i a e(te!e! $ositio. E0Fare burie! o their left si!e.

The ma2ority ha"e gra"e goo!s. Goits of$ig meat accom$ay may of the gra"es.

The carts/chariots were usually!ismatle! for burial.


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&or'shire #rras Tradition&or'shire #rras Tradition

%ariatio occurs i the !irectio they wereburie!& whether crouche! or e(te!e!.

ome metal work i the La Tee == stylea$$ear i gra"es similar to those i the7are area of )race& but stragely ilater ot the earliest gra"es.

)amily heirlooms from )race88


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#ylesford"S+arling Cremations (,*#ylesford"S+arling Cremations (,*

hat seems to ha"e bee a commoly use!rite was itro!uce! or a!o$te! i Het '

#ritai a! orth of to!ayDs Lo!o i the 1st cetury #C.

Coul! this ha"e bee itro!uce! by #elgicmigratio from orther ,aul8

The riteD i"ol"es crematio a! thecollectio of the remais for burial usually ia ceramic $ot& or $it or woo!e or metalbucket.


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CremationsCremations

The gra"es are clustere! i cemeteries.The largest kow is i to!ayDs t 5lbaDs

close to %erulamium. 4I9 burials.ome gra"e goo!s.The $ots follow the style fou! i orther

)race Cham$age+5r!ees. ece thei!ea of i"asio.The mai kow cemetery cotais 3

to 1 males.


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The -it Tradition (.*The -it Tradition (.*

The so+calle! $it+ tra!itioD is fou! icetral souther 'gla!.

This i"ol"e! the !e$ositio of eitherwhole or $artialbo!ies i the grai+storage$its o chalk+hills a! ri"er gra"els.

hether this re$resete! the ormati"eDie most commo rite kow i that $artof #ritai is !ifficult to ascertai.

7ales a! females are well re$resete!.


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The -it TraditionThe -it Tradition

7ost of the bo!ies were are $lace! o theleft ha! si!e i a crouche! $ositio.

igificat sites are: aebury am$shire&tato arcourt i >(for!shire.

The $its were also use! as ritual !is$osal.The iter$retatio of the burials i the $it

tra!itio is by o meas easy.=t re$resets oly a miority of the a!ult

$o$ulatio. 7aily a!ults.


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The lack of real gra"e goo!s !oes otseem to i!icate a elite grou$.

>e suggestio is that they re$reset the"ictims of huma sacrifice. see Caesar&trabo& Luca& Tacitus.

5other $ossibility is that they re$resetoutcast members of society. This woul!corres$o! to the associatios with!is$osal $its.


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=f the Bit #urials re$reset abormalDmembers of the commuity& who were

these outcasts8=f they were burie! o the left si!e !oes

this mea that burial o the right was theorm8

They face! the A'& !oes that mea thataother !irectio was see as the orm.Berha$s the 8


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ice these burials might ha"ere$resete! i!i"i!uals !eie! the ormal

mortuary rite& they woul! be $re"ete!from followig the ormal after+!eathcourse& thus maitaiig the $urity of asocietyDs >therworl!.


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The Cult of the ea!


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Celticists ha"e s$eculate! that the missighea!s at ibemot+sur+5cre were likely

offere! to Tarais& oe of the three $rici$al!i"iities i ,aul a! #ritai who& asmythologists woul! ha"e it& was $artial tose"ere! hea!s.

5lterati"ely& the se"ere! hea!s may ha"ebee ke$t as $ersoal tro$hies.


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Tarais

Like some other !eities& Tarais was

$ro$itiate! with huma sacrifice but ulikefor e(am$le the cythia iaa& the cult ofTarais was crueller tha most. %ictimscoul! be bure! ali"e i woo!e "essels.Tarais is the embo!imet of the aturalforce of thu!er.


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ome e(am$les relate! to the Cult of the ea!:

c.900 5& the skull of a teeage boy was fou! i

#ritai. =t ha! bee !e+fleshe!& a! ob"iously !is$laye!o a $ost i a tem$le at t. 5lbas before beig burie!i a ritual $it. The stoe structures at the alu"ia shrie ofoue$ertuse shows a iterestig ble! of ,reek a!

,aulish symbolism. The u$rights a! litels echo the,reek shries at 7assalia while the skull iches a!car"e! "ulture reflect the treatmet of huma remaisamog the souther ,auls.


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La TèNE funerary customsLa TèNE funerary customs05/22/16 La TENE Funerary Customs 46

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Celts wate! to a$$ease their go!s as well

as a$$eal for goo! har"ests& fortue&free!om from !isease& a! the re!ress ofwrogs suffere!. They $rocure! thesefa"ours by a wi!e "ariety of ceremoies

iclu!ig !e$ositio of "oti"e offerigs a!sacrifice. #ut the $recise $ur$oses ofhuma sacrifices are& at best& co2ectural.


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>ther as$ects of the Cult of the ea! a!sacrificig "ictims were:

eath by hea! i2uries& garrottig& throat cuttig ometimes huma "ictims were sacrifice! for the$ur$ose of !i"iatio& so that their etrails coul!be e(amie! for sigs a! $ortets more o this

whe we get to the rui!s The sacrifice of $risoers of war was uitecommo


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es$ite official $rohibitios u!er oma rule&

huma sacrifice a! the hea! cult cotiue! tobe $ractice! $ublicly almost to the e! ofoma rule.

)oo! for Thought: ere the remais fou! atibemot a! ,ouray the result of fuerary$ractices or !o they i!icate ritual slaugher8


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atig back to the late #ro-e 5ge&caul!ros were use! both as sacre! "essels

a! $restige items.

trabo !escribes how $risoers of war weresacrifie! by ha"ig their throats cut o"er a

caul!roJ caul!ros ha"e also bee fou!i water offerigs.


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Caul!ros of Blety is a recurrig Celtic motif

from both the $ers$ecti"es of archaeologicalfi!s a! the literary sources.The ,u!estru$ caul!ro& oe of the mosts$ectacular of the LaTène arte$ats %as fou!

i a $eat bog i emark. >f ukow$ro"eace& it was e"ertheless certailyhea"ily ifluece! by LaTène art a! culture.


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The ,u!estru$ Caul!ro


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The ,u!estru$ Caul!ro is a gil!e!& sil"er

caul!ro fou! !ismatle! o the surface ofa $eat bog ear ,u!estru$ i ortherGutla! i 1EK1. ome of the icoogra$hy isclearly Celtic howe"er& stylisticallly the

caul!ro woul! a$$ear to suggest a$artially o+Celtic origi Thracia.


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hat ha! sur"i"e! of the caul!ro was 6

iteral $laues& I out of E suare e(teral$lates& a! a basal !isc. The base $late!e$icts a bull& $ossibly i its !eath agoies&with a hutsma a! two hou!s& $ossibly

Celtic of a early -oomor$hic !esig


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The #ase Blate


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ome of the clearly Celtic icoogra$hy iclu!esthe torc+wearig& cross+legge!& atlere! go!

with aother twiste! torc i his ha!&sometimes i!etifie! as Ceruos.

Ceruos or the ore! >e was a go! of theCotietal CeltsJ a lor! of ature& aimals&

cro$s& a! $ros$erity. e is usually $ortraye!as ha"ig the bo!y of a ma a! the hors ofa stag& i a suattig $ositio wearig orcarryig the torc.


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>ther Celtic !e$ictios o the caul!ro

iclu!e warriors with 2ockey+ca$ helmetsthe coical Celtic helmet with crests ofboars or bir!s of $rey& aimal+hea!e! wartrum$ets& circular haress mouts a!

shiel! bosses of late LaTène ty$es.


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=er $lates of the ,u!estru$ caul!ro


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=er $late of the,u!estru$ caul!ro

>uter $late of the,u!estru$ caul!ro


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5lthough the go! !e$icte! a$$ears to be

Ceruos& most attem$ts to i!etify thecross+legge! go! as well as the other malea! female torc+wearig hea!s as s$ecificCeltic !eities ca oly e"er be co2ectural at

best. Barticularly so& as the caul!ro alsobears o+Celtic icoogra$hy.


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There are other elemets of the caul!rohowe"er that suggest a o+Celtic origi .

The i"y+leaf fill+is& $uch+!ottig a!ri!gig of huma clothig a! aimal $eltsha"e Botic o"ertoes a! is alsoremiiscet of the metal work of the

acias a! Thracias i omaia& #ulgariaa! easter ugary. These were allelleistic styles !e"elo$e! i the 4th cetury #C.


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5other as$ect of the caul!ro thatsuggests some o+Celtic i$ut is the use

of sil"er which was rarely use! by theCelts e(ce$t for cois but was commolyem$loye! to the east of the Celtic -oesa $ossible e(ce$tio woul! be the Bicts

but are they Celtic8 ome ha"e suggeste! that !ifferet $lateswere ma!e by !ifferet ha!s of !ifferigethic origis.


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>e of the i!etifyig features of Celticuma acrifice is o"erkill& such as the

tri$le !eath at which Li!ow 7a met his!emise.

The tri$le !eath is corroborate! by early

Celtic literature where the theme of thetri$le !eath occurs.

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