Space Not Only for the Living: Human Remains Found in the Late Bronze Age Settlement of Vânători, Galați County (South-East Romania)

The archaeological research conducted at the site of Vânători, Galați County (SE Romania), has led to the identification of a settlement dated between the 11 th and the 9 th century BC. Among the features studied, we highlight pit 1152, in which a male individual had been deposited in an unusual position. He surpassed the average height of contemporary males from the Balkan-Carpathian area and his muscle origins and insertions were remarkably developed. At the same time, the anthropological analysis of the bones indicates that he died of a strong blow to the skull. The aetiology of this lesion in face-to-face combat and defensive wounds, as well as the pathological afflictions visible on some of the bones, seem to suggest that the individual could have been a warrior who died a warrior’s death. Burials inside settlements were rather frequent in the beginning of the 1 st millennium BC especially in the Lower Danube, proving the existence of practices of displaying human corpses whose anatomical pieces had been manipulated. These “macabre discoveries” consisted of complete or incomplete skeletons, some arranged anatomically, others not, but also included parts of skeletons, such as skulls or limbs. There are also differences between the design of the spots chosen for the deposition of the human remains (dwellings, pits, ditches, etc.) as well as the number of individuals, the inventory, and the manner of deposition. By analysing these contexts, several assumptions can be made regarding the procedures of deposition of such individuals inside the settlements. First, we note that none of the incomplete skeletons (or the scattered osteological remains) revealed traces of disarticulation with sharp tools or animal gnawing, leading to the conclusion that their state was the result of lengthy display (in special places) that caused the degradation of the soft parts and the drying and rigidity of the ligaments. The absence of traces indicating the intervention of animals suggests that the bodies had been on display in protected spaces or on inaccessible platforms, possibly even inside specially built houses. These “macabre” finds from the settlements show that, at least in the Lower Danube, these areas were not only intended for the living; moreover, the everyday activities of the living afforded them a permanent connection with the dead.