Burial Rites in the Western and Central Slovenia in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age (Bronzo Finale 3 – Primo Ferro 1). A Case Study of Urnield Necropolises from Tolmin and Ljubljana (Slovenia) BRINA ŠKVOR JERNEJČIČ, MANCA VINAZZA (Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana and Institite for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, Centre for Preventive Archaeology). Zavod za varstvo kulturne dediščine Slovenije Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia Center za konservatorstvo Conservation Centre Center za preventivno arheologijo Preventive Archaeology Centre Presented here is the research conducted on the funerary rites of two lat cremation cemeteries – Tolmin and Ljubljana (Škvor Jernejčič, Vinazza, forthcoming) – in the period between the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age (Bronzo Finale 3 – Primo Ferro 1). Both cemeteries, located in the western and central Slovenia, represent burial grounds with more than 100 lat cremation and urn graves, excavated in the 60’s and 70’s of the last century (Stare 1954; Puš 1971; Puš 1982; Svoljšak, Pogačnik 2001; Svoljšak, Pogačnik 2002). With the exception of three graves, the burial mode on Tolmin cemetery represents a cremation grave without an urn, covered and marked with a stone slab. On the contrary, Ljubljana cemetery contains mainly cremation graves with an urn or so-called urn graves. Some of the graves from Tolmin cemetery were further marked of with a stone construction composed of two parallel lines of stones – some sort of a grave-parcel, whereas graves encircled with a stone line are also known. On the other hand, stone slabs over the graves represent a rarity in Ljubljana cemetery. Instead the graves were oten covered with small pebble-stone mounds. herefore we cannot Cemeteries dating in the period of the Late Bronze Age and speak of a typical lat grave necropolis as is the case with Early Iron Age (Bronzo Finale – Primo Ferro 1) from the regions of Friuli, Karst Plateau, Soča Valley and central Slovenia. Tolmin cemetery. Of interest is also the grave 236 from Ljubljana where the grave-pit was covered with astragali. he majority of Tolmin and Ljubljana graves contained grave-goods that were placed on cremated remains or burnt bones and were as a rule burned together with the deceased. However, certain graves contained some grave-goods also placed above the cremated bones that have not been burnt and are consequently better preserved. hese facts lead us to conclude that the burned Grave 236 with the astragali covering remains in the grave-pit or in the urn were wrapped in textile or some other from Ljubljana cemetery. organic substance, which was fastened with a ibula or a pin. Examples where the whole urn was wrapped in textile and decorated with jewellery are also known. At both cemeteries also a speciic practice has been ascertained, where in the graves or on them numerous fragments of vessels were discovered which do not represent missing parts of the grave inventory. hese fragments testify to the particular funeral rite of adding ceramic fragments into the graves. Grave 267 with the stone slabs and peeble-stones, from Ljubljana cemetery. he weight (g) of cremated remains according Hypothetical reconstruction of the grave 144 from Ljubljana (drawing: E. Leghissa). to the graves. Plan of the Tolmin cemetery (the stone circle; the mound above the grave; the so-called grave-parcel). he transitional period between the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age on Tolmin cemetery is marked only by the use of diferent stones for slabs covering the graves and also by the change of cremation process. his fact indicates very standardised and rigid rules that were followed at the funeral ceremonies. he cemetery Courtyard SAZU in Ljubljana displays in this sense a much more dynamic picture. Around the transition between the second and irst millennium BC, in the late Urnield period, a crucial change happened in the burial ritual at Ljubljana cemetery. For the irst time cremation graves containing no urn appeared, limited only to the eastern part of the cemetery. On the other hand the urn graves, otherwise typical and exclusive grave-type in older periods, persisted further on and were spread over the entire cemetery. At this point the number of the graves on the Ljubljana cemetery signiicantly increased, while at Tolmin cemetery this period marks the actual beginning of interments. Based on the colour of the burnt bones we can state that at Tolmin cemetery the cremation has been incomplete, performed in a relatively short time and without the presence of extremely high temperatures. At Ljubljana cemetery the cremation has also been incomplete, but, in contrast to the former, lasted more time and in the majority of the cases was done at high temperatures. he amount of burnt bones in the graves was very small at both cemeteries. In the grave-pits or in the urns only up to 400 g of burnt bones was present, what represents only a ith of the average weight expected ater the cremation of an adult human. (McKinley 1993). Only in the case of Ljubljana cemetery the weight of the burnt remains in the grave exceeded 400 grams. Consequently, we can conclude that there was no clear example of complete collecting of the bone remains, a custom that was observed also at other cemeteries, as for example in the Ruše group (Črešnar, homas 2013, 87). Hypothetical reconstruction of the grave 346 from Tolmin (drawing: E. Leghissa). he analysis of both cemeteries demonstrated that the funeral rites practised at Tolmin cemetery show clear analogies with the cemeteries, such as Brežec and Ponikve in Škocjan, Zidanca near Podnanos and S. Barbara (Ruaro Loseri et al. 1977; Bratina 2009-2010; Montagnari Kokelj 1996). In contrast, the Ljubljana cemetery relates with its funeral rites mainly to the sites from south eastern Slovenia, but surprisingly also to the cemetery San Vito al Tagliamento (Càssola Guida 1978), where almost two thirds of the graves contained an urn. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bratina, P. 2009−2010 (2010), Nova arheološka odkritja v Vipavski dolini. Goriški letnik 33−34, 155−180. Črešnar, M. and Thomas J.-L. 2013. New data on cremation burials from North-Eastern Slovenia. In M. Lochner and F. Ruppenstein (eds.), Brandbestattungen von der mittleren Donau bis zur Ägäis zwischen 1300 und 750 v. Chr. Akten des Internationalen Symposiums an der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaten in Wien, 11.−12. Februar 2010. / Cremation burials in the region between the Middle Danube and the Aegean, 1300−750 BC. Proceedings of the International Symposium held at the Austrian Academy of Sciences at Vienna, February 11th−12th, 2010, 79−97. Wien. McKinley, J. I. 1993. Bone fragment size and weights of bone from modern British cremations and the implications for the interpretation of archaeological cremations. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology Volume 3, Issue 4, 283-287. Montagnari Kokelj, E. 1996. La necropoli di S. Barbara di Monte Castellier degli Elleri. Aquileia Nostra LXVII, 9−49. Puš, I. 1971. Žarnogrobiščna nekropola na dvorišču SAZU v Ljubljani. Izkopavanja v letih 1964−1965 / Nekropole der Urnenfelderkultur im Hof der Slowenischen Akademie der Wissenschaten und Künste in Ljubljana. Ausgrabungen in den Jahren 1964−1965. Razprave 1. razreda SAZU 7/1. Ljubljana. Puš, I. 1982. Prazgodovinsko žarno grobišče v Ljubljani. / Das vorgeschichtliche Urnengräberfeld in Ljubljana. Razprave 1. razreda SAZU 13/2. Ljubljana. Ruaro Loseri, L., Stefè de Piero, G.,Vitri, S. and Righi, G. 1977. La necropoli di Brežec presso S. Canziano del Carso. Scavi Marchesetti 1896−1900. Atti dei Civici Musei di Storia ed Arte di Trieste. Monograie di preistoria 1. Trieste. Stare, F. 1954. Ilirske najdbe železne dobe v Ljubljani. / Illyrische Funde aus der Eisenzeit in Ljubljana. Dela 1. razreda SAZU 9/7. Ljubljana. Svoljšak, D. and Pogačnik, A. 2001. Tolmin. Prazgodovinsko grobišče I. Katalog. / Tolmin, the prehistoric cemetery II. Catalogue. Katalogi in monograije 34. Ljubljana, Narodni muzej Slovenije. Svoljšak, D. and Pogačnik, A. 2002. Tolmin. Prazgodovinsko grobišče II. Razprave. / Tolmin, the prehistoric cemetery II. Treatises. Katalogi in monograije 35. Ljubljana, Narodni muzej Slovenije. Škvor Jernejčič, B. and M. Vinazza (forthcoming). Burial Practices and Rituals between the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age in Slovenia. A Comparative Analysis of Ljubljana and Tolmin Cemeteries. In: Način pokopa in pogrebni ritual v času pozne bronaste in zgodnje železne dobe. Primerjalna analiza nekropol v Ljubljani in v Tolminu, Slovenija. BAR.