A child, twelve goats, three sheep, a cow, and a horse

Abstract

The discovery of a child burial in Brno-Slatina containing both complete and disarticulated animal remains represents a unique funerary practice with no direct analogies. The grave was located near a prominent limestone crag; it had been secondarily opened, and no grave goods were found. Based on radiocarbon dating, its chronology corresponds to the Late Eneolithic. In addition to anthropological, zooarchaeological, and taphonomic analyses, the find was assessed within the larger spatial context of the Morava River basin, where new, specific settlement patterns, diverse burial practices, and three distinct pottery styles (Jevišovice, Bošáca, and Globular Amphora) emerged. In a broader sense, these burial practices can be interpreted as a reflection of the growing presence of steppe populations who came into contact with indigenous Neolithic societies.

Keywords

• Late Eneolithic
• burial
• child
• zooarchaeology
• secondary mortuary practices