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The West Mouth Neolithic Cemetery, Niah Cave, Sarawak

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 October 2013

Lindsay Lloyd-Smith
Lindsay Lloyd-Smith*
Affiliation:
Southeast Asian Archaeology, Institute for East Asian Studies, Sogang University, 35 Backbeom-ro, Mapo-Gu, Seoul, 121–472, Korea Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Excavations between 1954 and 1967 in the West Mouth, Niah Cave (Sarawak) uncovered the largest Neolithic cemetery in South-east Asia with over 150 burials. Subsequent work at the site in the 1970s and most recently by the Niah Caves Project (2000–2004) brought the total to 170, comprising 89 primary burials and 79 secondary burials, and two ‘multiple’ burials. The size of cemetery and the scale of the archaeological data are unprecedented in South-east Asian Neolithic archaeology and offer a unique opportunity to investigate the cemetery's origins, development, and history in detail. Analysis of the demographic structure of discrete spatial burial groups within the cemetery and their short term burial sequences are combined to interpret the history of changing burial practice in terms of different social/settlement groups using the cave as a communal place of burial. A new suite of radiocarbon dates are used to date the West Mouth Neolithic cemetery to between 1500 and 200 bc. Six phases of burial are defined and the associated transitions of ritual practices are discussed. In particular, a transition from primary to secondary burial occurred around c. 1000 bc, which subsequently intensified into the practice of cremation. This process was likely associated/fuelled by an intensification of economic activity to support more elaborate secondary burial funerals. Two further cycles of primary and secondary burial followed, before the main cemetery ceased c. 200 bc. A Post-Neolithic phase of possibly 14 burials (five primary flexed burials and nine secondary burials) is proposed to follow, which while continuing aspects of Neolithic mortuary behaviour, is considered on isotopic data to represent a group of hunter-gatherers living in a closed-canopy environment

Résumé

Cimetière néolithique de West Mouth, grottes de Niah, Sarawak, de Lindsay Lloyd-Smith

Des fouilles entre 1954 et 1967 à West Mouth, grottes de Niah (Sarawak) ont mis au jour le plus grand cimetière néolithique connu de l'Asie du sud-est avec plus de 150 sépultures. Des travaux ultérieurs dans les années 1970 et dans le cadre du projet des grottes de Niah (2002–2004) ont fait monter le total à 168, il comprend 89 sépultures primaires, 77 secondaires et deux ‘multiples’. La taille du cimetière et l’étendue des données archéologiques n'ont pas de précédent dans l'archéologie néolithique de l'Asie du sud-est et offrent une unique opportunité d'examiner en détail les origines du cimetière, son évolution et son histoire. L'analyse de la structure démographique de groupes d'inhumation spatiaux distincts à l'intérieur du cimetière et leurs séquences d'inhumations de courte durée sont combinées pour interpréter l'histoire des changements dans les pratiques funéraires en terme de groupes sociaux/d'occupation différents utilisant la grotte en commun. Une nouvelle série de datations au radiocarbone du cimetière néolithique de West Mouth, grottes de Niah se situe entre 1500 et 200 av.J.-C. cal. Nous définissons six phases d'inhumation et discutons des transitions associées aux pratiques rituelles. En particulier eut lieu, aux environs de 1000 av.J.-C. cal, une transition d'inhumation primaire à secondaire qui par la suite s'intensifia en une pratique de crémation. Ce processus était probablement associé à et alimenté par une intensification de l'activité économique afin de pourvoir à des enterrements d'inhumations secondaires plus élaborés. Deux cycles supplémentaires d'inhumations primaires et secondaires suivirent avant que le cimetière principal ne cesse d’être utilisé vers 200 av.J.-C. cal. Nous proposons une phase post-néolithique de 14 inhumations éventuelles qui, tout en conservant certains aspects du comportement mortuaire néolithique est considérée, au vu des données isotopiques, comme représentant un groupe de chasseurs cueilleurs vivant dans un environnement de canopée fermée

Zussamenfassung

Das neolithische Gräberfeld vom West Mouth, Niah Höhle, Sarawak (Borneo), von Lindsay Lloyd-Smith

Ausgrabungen im West Mouth der Niah Höhle, Sarawak, zwischen 1954 und 1967 legten das mit über 150 Bestattungen größte bekannte neolithische Gräberfeld in Südostasien frei. Nachfolgende Arbeiten in den 1970er Jahren und durch das Niah-Höhlen-Projekt zwischen 2001 und 2004 erhöhten die Zahl auf 168 Bestattungen, davon 89 Primär-, 77 Sekundär- und zwei ,,Mehrfachbestattungen“. Die Größe des Gräberfelds und der Umfang der archäologischen Daten sind beispiellos in der Archäologie des Neolithikums Südostasiens, und sie bieten die einmalige Gelegenheit, den Ursprung, die Entwicklung und die Geschichte des Gräberfelds detailliert zu untersuchen. Die Untersuchung der demographischen Struktur räumlich separater Bestattungsgruppen innerhalb des Gräberfelds und deren kurzzeitigen Bestattungssequenzen werden kombiniert um die Geschichte des Wandels von Bestattungspraktiken zu interpretieren mit Bezug auf unterschiedliche Sozial- bzw. Besiedlungsgruppen, die die Höhle für gemeinschaftliche Bestattungen nutzten. Eine neue Reihe von Radiokarbondaten für das neolithische Gräberfeld vom West Mouth liefert Daten zwischen 1500 und 200 cal bc. Es können sechs Bestattungsphasen unterschieden werden; die damit verbundenen Änderungen im Bestattungsritual werden diskutiert. Insbesondere kann festgestellt werden, dass ein Wechsel von primärer zu sekundärer Bestattung um ca. 1000 cal bc stattfand, der schließlich in die Praxis der Leichenverbrennung mündete. Dieser Prozess war vermutlich verknüpft mit und/oder verstärkt durch eine Intensivierung ökonomischer Aktivitäten um aufwändigere sekundäre Bestattungsrituale zu ermöglichen. Zwei weitere Zyklen von primären und sekundären Bestattungen folgten bis schließlich ab etwa 200 cal bc das hauptsächliche Gräberfeld nicht mehr genutzt wurde. Eine nachneolithische Phase von möglicherweise 14 Bestattungen wird vorgeschlagen, welche, obwohl sie Aspekte der neolithischen Begräbnispraktiken fortführt, aufgrund von Isotopendaten einer Gruppe von Jäger-Sammlern zugeschrieben wird, die in einer ,,closed-canopy environment“ (Umwelt mit geschlossenem Baumkronendach) lebte

Resumen

El cementerio Neolítico de la Boca Oeste de la Cueva Niah, Sarawak, por Lindsay Lloyd-Smith

Las excavaciones desarrolladas entre 1954 y 1967 en la Boca Oeste de la cueva de Niah (Sarawak) permitieron descubrir el mayor cementerio neolítico del sureste de Asia, con más de 150 enterramientos. Los trabajos posteriores en la década de 1970 y el Niah Caves Project (2001–2004) aumentó su número a 168, abarcando 89 enterramientos primarios, 77 secundarios, y dos enterramientos “múltiples”. El tamaño del cementerio y la escala de los datos arqueológicos no tienen precedente en la arqueología de época neolítica del sureste asiático y ofrecen una oportunidad única para investigar en detalle los orígenes del cementerio, su desarrollo e historia. El análisis de la estructura demográfica de grupos de enterramientos cronológicamente cortos se combina para interpretar la evolución de las prácticas funerarias como resultados de diferencias sociales/grupos de asentamiento que usan la cueva comunalmente. Una nueva batería de dataciones radiocarbónicas procedentes de la boca oeste del cementerio neolítico se extiende entre el 1500 y el 200 cal bc. Se definen seis fases de enterramiento y se discuten las transiciones entre las prácticas rituales asociadas. En particular, se produce una transformación de enterramientos primarios a secundarios alrededor de c. 1000 cal bc que posteriormente se intensifica con la práctica de la cremación. Este proceso estuvo posiblemente asociado y avivado por una intensificación de la actividad económica que permitía costear la celebración de rituales de enterramiento secundario más complejos. Se produjeron otros dos nuevos ciclos de enterramientos primarios y secundarios, antes de que el cementerio principal cesase en torno al c. 200 cal bc. Se propone una fase postneolítica compuesta posiblemente por 14 enterramientos, en la que a pesar de que se mantienen comportamientos funerarios neolíticos, los análisis isotópicos muestran a grupos de cazadores-recolectores que habitan entornos de bosque cerrado

Keywords

NeolithicSouth-east AsiaBorneomortuary practiceradiocarbon dates
Type
Articles
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 79 , December 2013 , pp. 105 - 136
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 2013 

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