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The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map : Index >>
Stones Forum >> Who were buried under dolmens (dolmens' stone coffin)?
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Who were buried under dolmens (dolmens' stone coffin)? |
TomLee
Joined:
06-03-2007
Messages: 27
from Republic Korea
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|  Posted 05-01-2009 at 05:05
I am wondering social class in Bronze age.
What are differences between modern times and dolmens' times?
Specially, is there any theory regarding the dead buried under dolmens? I mean their social class at the time.
Seeing remains, their paintings and manpower mobilized during the construction are that we try to understand their life, culture, thought and so on.
Reading or learning theirs, we should inherite and develope ourselves.
Some comments are very appreciated.
Tom, Lee
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TomLee
Joined:
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Messages: 27
from Republic Korea
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| Posted 18-03-2009 at 12:34
No theory or study regarding their social class in dolmens' times?
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AlbertResonox
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from Sussex
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| Posted 18-03-2009 at 17:06
I'd wager there are plenty of theories...but very little in the way of supporting evidence...unless you know a time traveller,there is no definite idea of social structure....I've always thought that the most vicious,ruthless or cunning would rule...but again there is no evidence...maybe they all lived as equals...who knows?
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Oonaka21
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Messages: 1
from North Somerset
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| Posted 04-05-2009 at 21:10
Quote:
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On 2009-01-05 05:05, TomLee wrote:
I am wondering social class in Bronze age.
What are differences between modern times and dolmens' times?
Specially, is there any theory regarding the dead buried under dolmens? I mean their social class at the time.
Seeing remains, their paintings and manpower mobilized during the construction are that we try to understand their life, culture, thought and so on.
Reading or learning theirs, we should inherite and develope ourselves.
Some comments are very appreciated.
Tom, Lee
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What evidence is there to substantiate that people were buried under dolmens ?
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sem
Joined:
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Messages: 1722
from Bridgend,S.Wales
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| Posted 04-05-2009 at 22:48
Maybe Tom should explain his understanding of the term "Dolmen."
The accepted term is a capstone supported by uprights, but whether this structure was originally covered by earth and stones is debated.
Bearing the above in mind, Ooh21 (excuse the nickname) has a valid point. If they were not covered with earth then this is a way of excarnation and any originally deposited remains must have been removed (if not by people then by natural means). If they were covered then the remains found there cannot be dated to the original covering - both must have been removed by weather etc.
Truly a conundrum.
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karloff
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| Posted 05-05-2009 at 09:56
Quote:
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On 2009-05-04 21:10, Oonaka21 wrote:
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What evidence is there to substantiate that people were buried under dolmens ?
[/quote]
Hi
Well, there is the presence of burials excavated from them. For example at Olstykke. Some "dolmen" still have their rubble "shell" and so are just called barrows.
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karloff
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| Posted 05-05-2009 at 10:02
Quote:
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On 2009-01-05 05:05, TomLee wrote:
I am wondering social class in Bronze age.
What are differences between modern times and dolmens' times?
Specially, is there any theory regarding the dead buried under dolmens? I mean their social class at the time.
Seeing remains, their paintings and manpower mobilized during the construction are that we try to understand their life, culture, thought and so on.
Reading or learning theirs, we should inherite and develope ourselves.
Some comments are very appreciated.
Tom, Lee
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Hi Chap
Some of the ideas about burial in the BA in Britain revolve around the introduction of field systems in the middle BA. In the early BA individual burials start occurring in barrows associated with pottery types (such as beakers). It seems that culture may have changed from a more "communal" society to one where the individual became important. The field systems may indicate that land division and therefore ownership is taking place which along with individuals with "status" items being buried perhaps indicates a structured society, i.e. those who own land and those who merely work it!
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sem
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from Bridgend,S.Wales
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| Posted 10-05-2009 at 18:19
Hi Karloff
You probably think me an argumentative old soandso but here you have touched on my greatest interest - status and values.
It has often been said of archaelogical finds that the interpretation of them reflects the ideas of those who found them and the culture they live in. Hence the idea of heirarchical societies. In fact we know nothing about their values and can only make guesses based on our own experiences.
Personally, I believe "high status burials" are as much a statement from the interred's village as a statement about the person interred.
Cheers
Sem
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karloff
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| Posted 11-05-2009 at 11:40
Hi Sem
Actually I think its important to question issues like this. I also have a problem with the idea that a person's identity (status, rank, vocation etc) are always fossilised at death and represented by the nature of the burial environment. There are many indicators of status that will not survive burial and it could be that very rich individuals pass on all their goods to the living so appear to archaeologists as "paupers". Status is of course socially dependant and a person could be materially "poor" but considered very significant by their peers and larger community!
But, whichever way its looked at, the burial of individuals marks a move away from the Neolithic traditions and the construction of a single monument to bury an individual strongly indicates a social move to recognise individuals within the community and to mark their death. This move to the permamance of an individual from life into death is particularly significant because it comes along at the same time as the division of the landscape. So there starts to exist permanent boundaries in the landscape so there must be selected or specific uses of parts of the landscape (i.e. fields). Once that occurs there has to be management and that creates movers and s***** (influential people). They may be charismatic, they may be more intelligent, they may come from a respected family or they may be sacred. Through these individuals longer lasting hierarchies form, some through dynastic means and others through social grouping or schools of thought (theocracies) for example. This, in effect creates land "ownership" and produces wealth for the hierarchies (sometimes expressed in goods).
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