Publication Date
5-2024
Date of Final Oral Examination (Defense)
2-27-2024
Type of Culminating Activity
Thesis
Degree Title
Master of Arts in Anthropology
Department Filter
Anthropology
Department
Anthropology
Supervisory Committee Chair
Cheryl Anderson, Ph.D.
Supervisory Committee Member
Allison Wolfe, Ph.D.
Supervisory Committee Member
Kristin Snopkowski, Ph.D.
Abstract
Celtic-speaking peoples were once distributed across a vast territory from Europe to southwest Asia in the Middle and Late Iron Age. For example, the movement of some of these Celtic peoples, the Galatians, from Europe to Anatolia may be responsible for the appearance of new cultural practices that have been observed at two communities in the region during the Hellenistic period/Late Iron Age (ca. 300-100 BCE). Burial practices are one cultural practice that can be observed archaeologically in order to further investigate the migration of the Galatians and other Celtic tribes. Human interments in pits are found across Europe and central Anatolia. These pits are characterized by the interment of either whole or partial bodies, usually within grain storage pits. This research compares these pit burials across three different regions: Britain (United Kingdom), western Europe (France), and central Anatolia (Türkiye) to assess similarities and differences. In particular, the presence or absence of artifacts, animal remains, and perimortem trauma are analyzed for continuity. In addition, the minimum number of individuals and paleodemography of the burial pits are discussed. Fisher’s exact test comparing presence/absence of artifacts and perimortem trauma between the different regions suggests that there are not significant differences across all three regions for these burial aspects. A chi-square test comparing presence/absence of animal remains resulted in a significant p-value, meaning that there are significant differences between all three regions. There have been many interpretations about who is represented in these burials, including sacrifice victims, captives, or individuals with unique social status. These hypotheses are difficult to test given the available data, but overall, it appears that there is some continuity in burial practices regarding human interments in storage pits across these regions, suggesting that this practice was brought into other regions through migration.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.18122/td.2228.boisestate
Recommended Citation
Beier, Samantha Lynn, "Celtic Cultural Identity in the Late Iron Age: Regional Comparisons of Pit Burials" (2024). Boise State University Theses and Dissertations. 2228.
https://doi.org/10.18122/td.2228.boisestate
