MORMINTELE DE INCINERAŢIE DIN PERIOADA NEOLITICĂ ŞI ENEOLITICĂ DE PE TERITORIUL ROMÂNIEI.
NEOLITHIC AND ENEOLITHIC CREMATION BURIALS FROM ROMANIA.

Summary/Abstract: Cremation represents an important funeral rite of various communities from different historical periods, being attested in all times and continents. Until not long ago it was considered that the funeral rite of neo-eneolithic communities from the Romanian territory was inhumation only. Yet several recent discoveries prove that cremation was also practiced. It is the case of the grave discovered at Gura Baciului, belonging to Starčevo-Criş culture, and of some other funeral discoveries belonging to Cluj-Cheile Turzii and Suplacu de Barcău cultural groups. The Cluj-Cheile Turzii discoveries are represented by one grave: M1 from Suplacu de Barcău. This grave was first attributed to the Suplac group, but after re-analyzing the funeral urn’s decoration and relating it to other similar ones from Zau de Câmpie and Cheile Turzii it was re-classified as belonging to Cluj-Cheile Turzii group. Suplacu de Barcău discoveries were made at Tăşad, Suplacu de Barcău - Corău I (Bihor county), Porţ - Corău, Zalău - Uroikert and Zalău - Dealul Lupului (Sălaj county). It is necesary to specify that Suplacu de Barcău and Porţ form in reality only one site, the two denominations resulting from different administrative positions. Although until recently it was considered that the cremation graves from the neo-eneolithic represent only isolated cases, the latest research proves that cremation was practiced, at least by the communities of Suplac group, at large scale. The absence of such graves from other sites may Cătălin 50 Lazăr, Sanda Băcueţ-Crişan be a reflection of the present state of archaeological research, and not a characteristic of these communities. The funeral complexes analyzed in this study were placed either within the settlement’s boundary (Gura Baciului, Suplacu de Barcău, Tăşad, Zalău - Uroikert etc.), near the settlements (Porţ - Corău) or in cemeteries (Zalău - Dealul Lupului). The funeral pits, of circular shape, have similar dimensions and in some cases have stone arrangements at the base (Suplacu de Barcău – M2 and Zalău - Dealul Lupului – C3). In one case the funeral pit was “sealed” with yellow clay (Zalău - Uroikert). The cinerary remains were deposited in urns (Zalău - Dealul Lupului C3, C4, Suplacu de Barcău M1, Zalău - Uroikert M1), under pottery (Suplacu de Barcău M1') or directly in the funeral pit (Tăşad M1, Suplacu de Barcău M2, M3, Porţ - Corău M3, M6, M7, M8, M9, M11 and M12.) In one case (Zalău - Dealul Lupului – C3) the urn might have had a lid. We do not exclude the possibility in which the cinerary remains might have been deposited in urns made from organic material, not preserved. The osteological material is in small quantities (100-300 g only). The aim of this paper is not to attempt to solve the problems and disputes raised by the neo-eneolithic cremation. Our approach was to classify, connect and interpret funeral complexes of this kind and to express new points of view on these discoveries.

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