Dead men do tell tales: en komparativ studie av händelserna i det senneolitiska Talheim

Abstract

The mass grave at Talheim represents a sensation within the field of conflict archeology. The site is considered one of the first sites with a clear connection to violence on a larger scale from the neolithic age in Europe. The site itself consists of the mass grave containing the remains of no less than 34 individuals. The site is considered to belong to the later phase of the Linear Band Ceramic culture or the “LBK”. However, the Talheim site is difficult to analyze due to its limited context. The archeological material from the site is limited in large part to the skeletal remains of the individuals buried in the grave and the grave itself. The result of this is a huge dependence on other locals and contexts to create a more nuanced interpretation of the limited Talheim context. In this analysis we will examine the osteological material from Asparn/Schletz and Hexerheim. Two other LBK locals with extensive osteological material. By comparing the material from the three sites we will be able to establish what happened at Talheim despite the lacking context of Talheim itself.