Thesis Chapters by Jakob Bach Jensen
Grubekeramisk gravskik? Et komparativt studie af skafttungespidsers fundkontekst i danske gravkontekster, 2024
Regional differences in Pitted Ware Culture (PWC) use of Danish megalithic graves are seen as an ... more Regional differences in Pitted Ware Culture (PWC) use of Danish megalithic graves are seen as an expression of a differentiated PWC cultural self-perception. Despite this importance for our understanding of the PWC phenomenon, their find context has never been critically analysed, and to what extent they are an expression of PWC burials, as is known from Gotland, has so far not been discussed sufficiently. Based on a comparative analysis of grave goods from Danish grave contexts with PWC tanged arrowheads, as well as a characterization of typical PWC graves from Gotland, this paper exam-ines the evidence for PWC tanged arrowheads in Danish grave contexts being an expression of PWC burials, as well as assessing additional explanatory models. It is found that funnel beaker objects occur more frequently than objects from typical PWC graves, and that the few parallels to the latter constitute an insufficient empirical foundation for being attributed to typical PWC graves. It is therefore suggested that there is not sufficient evi-dence for PWC tanged arrowheads in Danish grave contexts being an expression of PWC burials. Grave contexts with single finds of tanged arrowheads should perhaps be regarded as symbolic actions, possibly as a territorial marker or a reference to a funnel beaker identity, rather than suc-cessive PWC burials. An understanding of tanged arrowheads in grave contexts as a result of creo-lization, with new grave customs emerging as a result of a mixture of funnel beaker and PWC grave customs, is also proposed. This should from a polythetic perspective might be interpreted as a result of interaction and shared practices between social groups, rather than the classic PWC known from Gotland. Although not the primary focus, C-arrows in single graves and stone-packing graves are suggested to be interpreted as possible indications of violence. However, the lack of contextual information available from the megalithic grave contexts results in the material being highly unreliable, and the occurrence of PWC burials can therefore not be entirely refuted. The aim of this paper is not to suggest new conclusive interpretations, but rather to contribute to the understanding of PWC material from Danish grave contexts. Suggestions for future research topics include aDNA, settlement- and inhumation graves and a focus on regional differences.
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Thesis Chapters by Jakob Bach Jensen