Abstract (eng)
The Linear Pottery (LBK) is the first Neolithic cultural group to be identified in the archaeological record in Austria and dates to the 6th millennium BC. While the analysis of cemeteries such as Kleinhadersdorf has already provided a comprehensive picture of the burial customs of the LBK, burials in settlements have so far received less attention. The province of Lower Austria, as the core area of Linear Pottery settlement in Austria, is particularly well suited for an examination of this topic. This raises questions about possible differences to known Linear Pottery burial rites, demographic aspects, gender and age of the deceased, differences in find categories, social, economic and cultural factors as well as cross-regional comparisons. The settlement burials presented come from 19 sites and comprise 76 graves with 82 individuals. They vary greatly in their find types, with burial pits being the most common form, followed by settlement pits, longitudinal pits accompanying buildings, loam extraction pits and, less frequently, earthworks. In the settlement area they are isolated, with or without reference to a house and in smaller grave groups. The majority of the burials were in a lateral left crouched position with an E-W orientation, with deviations to the N and S. There are also back crouched positions, crouched in a prone position and stretched prone positions. The majority of the burials face S and SW. All age groups and genders were represented among the 82 individuals. An overall view reveals a slight predominance of women and children. However, there are deviations within the individual sites. More than half of all burials contained preserved finds, while grave goods were only preserved in 38% of the graves. The most common grave goods are ceramic vessels, which were preferably deposited in the head or foot area. Grinding stones are only found in graves of women and children and were always placed in the head area. Polished stone tools and flint artefacts were mainly found in the graves of men and children and were preferably placed in front of or behind the body. Jewelry and dress accessories come from 11 graves and show different patterns in relation to their placement. The burial rites in the settlements largely mirror those of the cemeteries, but there are still differences. The settlement burials from Lower Austria are similar to those in other regions of Central Europe, particularly in terms of demographic composition and mortuary practices, and were probably a common practice of the Linear Pottery culture.