Gräberfeld Halbturn I - Tafelband

In 1986, two hitherto undisturbed graves from the late Roman period were discovered in a large field at Halbturn, eastern Austria. Archaeological excavations of the cemetery (Halbturn I) took place between 1988 and 2002. At the same time, extensive and systematic archaeological prospection was carried out. Aerial archaeology, systematic field walking and geophysical prospection methods aimed to investigate the cemetery and its surroundings. The corresponding settlement to Halbturn I was found south-east of the cemetery. Altogether, a complex archaeological site was revealed. The main focus of the presented monograph lies on an interdisciplinary investigation of the graveyard: An archaeological evaluation of the completely excavated graveyard with some 300 graves, which provide important information about chronology, rituals, social structure, way of life and quality of living. An archaeo-zoological evaluation of animal bones from the graveyard, which gave insight into questions about animal breeding and husbandry. An anthropological evaluation of the skeleton remains from the graveyard with a focus on diet, medical condition and injuries. Data about land use, in particular about agriculture, have been gathered both from the well preserved field boundaries and from botanical research, which has established a whole spectrum of cultivated and wild growing plants. Analysis of stone and ceramic material regarding their provenance. The large settlement area, consisting of one or two farms and several activity zones, is surrounded by six contemporaneous Roman settlements. The location analysis based on the environmental variables, the relationship of the site to the landscape and its setting in relation to the other contemporary settlements in the vicinity suggest that the subdivision of the land was strongly influenced by the environmental conditions. From this information, the available land for the villa at Halbturn can be roughly estimated at some 130 ha. The settlement occupies an almost central position within this area and is situated on the border between two different local environments. Such a choice of location can be seen as an indication of the equal significance accorded to agriculture and animal husbandry in Roman times. Evaluation of animal bones and botanic samples, combined with soil maps and spatial location of the fields, support this interpretation of the evidence. A graveyard, known as Halbturn I, which contained more than 300 graves and was continuously used from the second half of the 2nd century AD until the middle of the 5th century AD. Total excavation revealed numerous burials of neonati and small children, which can be seen as an exceptional in Roman archaeology. Using anthropological analyses the demographic profile could be reconstructed. The graves can be divided into six different groups, which are spatially separated. The funerals of every individual group show certain variability in burial rites. This is evident from the location of the grave and the dead body within the group, as well as from the effort in terms of time and cost involved in constructing the grave. These characteristics are related on the one hand to the time-period of the burial and to the social affiliation or rank of the individual on the other hand. In terms of social affiliation or rank, three factors seem to be especially relevant in this respect: age of death, gender, and possible physical impediments. Although the site at Halbturn already plays an important role for the scientific community in Austria, public and international attention was mainly raised because of the discovery of the small golden amulet in the child`s grave in the cemetery at Halbturn I - the find is exceptional in European archaeology as the earliest proof of the presence of the Jewish religion in the region covered today by Austria.