Exploring the life story of a high-status woman from isotope data in Hungary’s largest Bronze Age cemetery bronze age cemeteries

Arkeonews ^ | 29 July 2021 | Leman Altuntaş

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Researchers examined 29 tombs from Szigetszentmiklós-Ürgehegy, one of Hungary’s largest Middle Bronze Age cemeteries...

In the grave numbered 241, the cremated bones of an adult woman and two 7-8-month-old fetuses found in the urn, as well as highly prestigious items.

The site is located in the northern part of Csepel Island (a few kilometers south of Budapest), and c. They are dated to 2150 and 1500 BC.

People of the Vatya culture-in the early and mid-Bronze Age of Hungary used to cremate their dead. Although this often makes studying their remains challenging, researchers from the University of Bologna in Italy turned to new bone sampling strategies.

The researchers wrote that the aim of the study was to identify variation in mobility patterns among individuals of different gender/ages/social statuses and individuals treated with different burial rites using strontium isotope analysis.

Claudio Cavazzuti of the University of Bologna and his colleagues examined 26 urns of cremated ashes as well as three complete graves, utilizing isotope analysis.

While the majority of tombs contained just the bones of a single person and modest burial goods made of pottery or metal, one was discovered to be unique.

An urn holding the ashes of an adult lady and two 7-8-month-old fetuses may be found at Cemetery No. 241. A golden hairband, a bronze neck ring, and two bone hairpin decorations were among the buried items. And the presence of these ornaments indicates the high status of women.

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Human mobility in a Bronze Age Vatya ‘urnfield’ and the life history of a high-status woman | Claudio Cavazzuti ,Tamás Hajdu,Federico Lugli,Alessandra Sperduti,Magdolna Vicze,Aniko Horváth,István Major,Mihály Molnár,László Palcsu,Viktória Kiss | July 28, 2021 | PLOS

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