“Invisible tombs”. From the research on funerary rituals of communities with funnel beakers

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present issues connected with “invisible” (from an archaeological point of view) tombs of the circle of cultures with funnel beakers. Four examples were selected to illustrate this problem. They are associated with discoveries on the following sites: Niedźwiedź, Zauschwitz, Bochum-Hiltrop and Schipluiden. Bedding trenches, forming structures in the shape of trapezes – rectangles were discovered on them. They were all originally interpreted as relics of long houses. Only the recent studies indicate their connection with the long tombs tradition. The author presents a thesis that the title “invisibility” of these structures is not due to its state of preservation. It is rather a result of oversimplifying criteria of interpretation. It is probable that next discoveries of tombs of the type described in the paper will be associated with reinterpretation of the already known objects, but considered as houses.