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On the scent of an animal skin: new evidence on Corded Ware mortuary practices in Northern Europe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 February 2018

Marja Ahola ,
Tuija Kirkinen ,
Krista Vajanto  and
Janne Ruokolainen
Marja Ahola*
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, History, Culture and Art Studies, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 59, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
Tuija Kirkinen
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, History, Culture and Art Studies, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 59, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
Krista Vajanto
Affiliation:
Nanomicroscopy Center, Aalto University, Puumiehenkuja 2, FI-02150 Espoo, Finland
Janne Ruokolainen
Affiliation:
Nanomicroscopy Center, Aalto University, Puumiehenkuja 2, FI-02150 Espoo, Finland
*
*Author for correspondence (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

The Late Neolithic Corded Ware Culture (c. 2800–2300 BC) of Northern Europe is characterised by specific sets of grave goods and mortuary practices, but the organic components of these grave sets are poorly represented in the archaeological record. New microscopic analyses of soil samples collected during the 1930s from the Perttulanmäki grave in western Finland have, however, revealed preserved Neolithic animal hairs. Despite mineralisation, the species of animal has been successfully identified and offers the oldest evidence for domestic goat in Neolithic Finland, indicating a pastoral herding economy. The mortuary context of the goat hair also suggests that animals played a significant role in the Corded Ware belief system.

Keywords

FinlandNeolithicCorded Waremortuary practiceanimal husbandry
Type
Research
Information
Antiquity , Volume 92 , Issue 361 , February 2018 , pp. 118 - 131
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd, 2018 

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