272
Documenta Praehistorica LI (2024)
DOI: 10.4312/dp.51.17
archaeological excavations in the 1980s initiated by 
Aleksandar Durman, and a recent excavation that con -
tinues today, a large amount of findings and data from
the site were col lected and analysed. However, these 
were only par tially published, so there is a lack of com-
plete and sy ste matic publication of the units inves ti-
Introduction – the state of excavation and the or-
ga nization of the settlement on Vuèedol
The Vuèedol site is the most famous and certainly the
longest systematically excavated settlement of the Vu -
èedol culture. From the first excavations by Josip Brun-
šmid in 1897, the first larger excavations by Robert Ru -
dolf Schmidt in 1938, smaller trial excavations by Sto -
jan Dimitrijeviæ in 1966 and 1967, to the first syste ma tic
KLJUÈNE BESEDE – eneolitik; vuèedolska kultura; pokopi v naselju; grobovi; pogrebne prakse
IZVLEÈEK – Nedavna arheološka izkopavanja na najdišèu Vuèedol –  Koruzno polje Streim so bila izve-
dena med letoma 2012 in 2021. Veèina izkopanih predmetov pripada poselitvi klasiène faze vuèedolske 
kulture (2900–2630 pr. n. št.). Poudarek našega prispevka je na analizi groba 5 v vuèedolskem naselbin-
skem kompleksu in njegovi vlogi ter pomenu v življenju in pogrebnih praksah vuèedolske kulture. Antro -
pološka analiza je pokazala biološke znaèilnosti vuèedolske populacije in znaèilnosti vzorca, naj de ne-
ga le na najdišèu Vuèedol.
Nova spoznanja o pogrebnih praksah v vučedolski kulturi na primeru groba št. 5,
najdišče Vučedol – Koruzno polje Streim
KEY WORDS – Eneolithic; Vuèedol culture; settlement burials; graves; ritual practice
ABSTRACT - Recent archaeological excavations of the Vuèedol site at the Cornfield Streim were carried 
out in the period from 2012 to 2021. Most of the excavated objects belong to the settlement of the Clas-
sical phase (2900–2630 BC) of the Vuèedol culture. The focus of this paper is on the analysis of Grave 5 
within the Vuèedol settlement complex and its role and meaning in the life and funeral practices of the 
Vuèedol culture. Anthropological analysis will show the biological features of the Vuèedol population 
and of the sample found only at the Vuèedol site.
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin
1,2
, Zdravka Hincak Daris
1,2
, and Slavica Bošnjak
3,2
1 University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Archaeology, Zagreb, HR;
daroksan@ffzg.unizg.hr, zhincak@ffzg.unizg.hr
2 University of Zagreb, Forensic Science Office, Zagreb, HR
3 University of Split, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Split, HR; sbosnjak@ffst.hr
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol 
culture from the example of Grave no. 5,
Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site

273
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
gated to date (Hoernes 1903.263–289; Schmidt 1945; 
Dorn 1965; Dimitrijeviæ 1966.22–23; 1977/78.3–4; 
1979.268–271; Durman 1982; 1984; 1985; 1987; 
1987a; Težak-Gre gl 1986; Durman, Forenbaher 1989; 
Durman et al. 2003; 2013; 2014; 201 5; 2016; 2017; Ba-
len 2004; 2006; 2007; 2008; 2009; Durman, Balen 
2005; Dur man, Hutinec 2011; 2019; Hutinec 2011; 
2012; 2012a; Hutinec, Šuljug 2018; Miloglav 2018; Sol -
ter 2017; Hutinec et al. 2021).
Until the 1980s, the site was partially explored through 
smaller test probes and trenches, which did not yield 
sig nificant data on the size and appearance of the set-
tlement. Most of the data was collected during 16 years 
of systematic excavation (1984–1990, 2001–2011) of 
the location of the Vineyard Streim, where a part of the 
northern edge of the plateau with a total area of about 
1800m
2
 was investigated. Four archaeological trenches 
(V 84, V 85, V 87, V 04) were excavated, and cultural 
la yers whose depth varies and is approximately up to
three meters deep were found that belong to the Ba-
den, Kostolac, Vuèedol and Belegiš cultures, as well as 
sporadic finds of the Starèevo culture and the Early 
Bronze Age Vinkovci culture
1
 
(Forenbaher 1995; Mi-
lo glav 2018). Most of the layers in that position can be
distinguished very clearly, although the upper la yers
were destroyed by ploughing and drilling for the vine -
yard. The layers of settlements of the Vuèedol culture, 
which according to radiocarbon dates are dated 3080–
3060 cal BC to 2580–2450 cal BC, stand out in parti -
cular (Benko et al. 1989; Horvatinèiæ et al. 1990; Ba -
len 2010; Miloglav 2018). Although the absolute dates
from this location speak of the Pre clas sical phase (A 
phase) of Vuèedol settlement and then through the 
Classical to the Late phases (B and C phases), the mo-
bile finds speak only in favour of the classical stage (B1 
and B2 phases) of the Vuèedol culture (Dimitrijeviæ 
1979.272). In this position, the relationship between 
the settlement layers of the Baden and Kostolac cul-
tures and their relationship with the Vuèedol culture 
is also interesting (Durman 1984; Težak-Gregl 1985; 
Durman, Balen 2005; Balen 2004; 2010; 2011; 2018; 
Ðukiæ 2018).
Recent systematic excavations of the Vuèedol set tle-
ment were carried out during ten years of excavation 
on the southern edge of the plateau of the Cornfield 
Streim (2012–2022). Cultural layers with a relative 
depth of up to 2.5m were found, belonging to the La si-
nja, Baden, Kostolac, Vuèedol, Vinkovci, Belegiš II cul-
tures and the late Middle Ages. The fully preserved 
youngest layer of the Late Classic Vuèedol culture (B2)
and its link, i.e. stratigraphic relations, with the layers 
of the Vinkovci culture as well as relations with the old-
er Kostolac culture were clearly defined (Durman et 
al. 2014; 2016; 2017; Hutinec, Šuljug 2018; Durman, 
Hutinec 2019). Absolute dates from this position also 
indicate a very wide time period, ranging from 2910 to
2630 BC (Hutinec et al. 2021.15).
The Vuèedol settlement of the tell type, according to 
the data known so far, is spread over several positions 
(Vineyard Streim, Vineyard Karasoviæ, Cornfield Streim
and Gradac) on the higher loess plateau on the right
bank of the Danube, which is up to 30 meters high and
forms a natural barrier and protection in a narrower 
sense, it includes three excavated sites, the to tal as -
sumed area of which is about 3ha; however, it should
be kept in mind that the largest part of the site is com-
pletely unexplored, and the total area in a broader 
sense should be much more, over 8 ha (Fig. 1). Exca va -
tions at the Vineyard Streim position from 1984 to 
2011 (trenches V 84, V 85, V 87, V 04) on the edge of
the northern plateau established the residential part
of the Vuèedol settlement, i.e. above-ground and pit
objects (houses, storerooms and other), and indivi dual
and group graves within the settlement grid (Foren ba -
her 1995.17–25). The Gradac position was mostly 
explored in 1938, and completely by rescue excavation
in 2009, during the levelling of the ground for the con-
struction of the ‘Copper Caster’s Me garon’ building
within the Vuèedol Archaeological Park (Schmidt 
1945; Hutinec 201 1.94–96). The la yers of the Neolithic
(Starèevo) culture, Eneolithic cul  tures (Baden, Kostolac 
and Vuèedol cultures), Iron Age cultures, and from the 
early and late Middle Ages are defined. The most re-
presented is the Baden and Classical Vuèedol culture 
layer with above-ground buil dings, pits and graves that 
are defined as special purpose objects, and the entire 
plateau, which was physically separated from the rest 
of the settlement by a trench or some kind of palisade, 
is colloquially defined as a kind of sacral-metallurgical 
centre cal led the ‘Copper Caster’s Megaron’ (Schmidt 
1945; Di mi trijeviæ 1979.332; Durman 1988.15).
1 The first excavation of Vuèedol site, at the Vineyard Streim, were conducted by Brunšmid in 1897, then director of Na tio-
nal Museum, when he probed the southeastern edge of the plateau and found 15 skeleton graves which he attributed to
a necropolis of Vuèedol culture. Recent analyses of several whole and several fragmented skulls from his excavations date
these graves to the Early Bronze age, most likely Somogyvár-Vinkovci period (Hoffiller 1933; Solter 2017.161–163; Za-
vod ny et al. 2021).

274
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
are larger in size, have an open space floor plan and 
are innovative in con struction technologies. This es pe-
cially applies to the use of new construction materials, 
such as loess dolls and recycled pottery fragments 
that have been used for the foundations of houses 
and levelling of floors, fireplaces and furnaces. The 
grouping of some objects is noticed, which indicates
their related function. The objects are located near
each other, with regular repeating orientations, form -
ed into special units separated by corridors, i.e. pas sa-
geways, so one gets the impression of planning, i.e. a 
well-thought-out organization of space, and a survey of 
the floor plan of the buildings. Obviously, the function 
of the buildings in these positions is different from the 
others (Vineyard Streim and Gradac) and it is most 
likely a part of the settlement with a pronounced work -
shop, i.e. craft activity. This is indicated by the or gani-
zation of the interior of certain buildings and certain 
structures within them, such as, for example, spaces 
with dome furnaces and waste pits with a large amount
of workshop waste, as well as numerous findings that
point to work activities. This should not be so sur pris-
At the position of Cornfield Streim, recent rescue ex ca-
vations of trenches V 12/V 17 on the edge of the east -
ern part of the Vuèedol settlement, on an area of about
1200m
2
, recorded 72 above-ground buildings with as -
sociated infrastructure and the existence of five con-
struction phases of the settlement, Classic Vuèedol 
phase (B1 and B2), and an earlier, sixth Kostolac-Vu èe -
dol construction phase, represented by several smal-
ler, poorly preserved above-ground buildings (Fig. 1). 
The duration of individual construction phases can be
roughly estimated because the stratigraphy shows sud-
den demolitions, upgrades, repairs and conversions of
space, so it can be noticed that some pha ses lasted long-
er than others. The relationships between individu al
objects and entities are very clear, but some remain with-
 out concrete explanations. What can already be pre -
liminarily concluded by ob serving Vuèedol architec -
ture from the position of the Cornfield Streim is that 
it differs greatly in its con struction elements and tech-
niques from other investigated buildings in the rest of
the settlement (Fo renbaher 1995; Miloglav 2018.1 13–
145; Roksandiæ Vukadin 2021.12–17). The buildings 
Fig. 1. Positions of excavated archaeological trenches at Vuèedol site (authors S. Bošnjak and D. Roksandiæ 
Vukadin).

275
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
Dimitrijeviæ 1979.332; Miliæeviæ-Bradaè 2001; 2002),
pit graves with human and animal remains were found
in the settlements (Vineyard Streim and Corn field 
Streim) and certain conclusions can now be drawn 
(Markoviæ 1985; Težak-Gregl, Dur man 1985; Dur-
man 1988; 1999; 2000; 2004; 2006; 2009; Hoti 1993. 
183–184; Forenbaher 1994. 314–319; Teschler-Nicola, 
Berner 1994.64; Hincak 1995; 2005; Balen 2007.64; 
Hincak et al. 2007; 2013; Hutinec 2012; Durman et 
al. 2015; 2017; Miloglav 2018.131–134; Hin cak Daris 
et al. 2022.33–34; Roksandiæ Vu kadin 2022.31–32). 
This occurrence of burials within the settle ment of the 
Vuèedol culture is unique for the Vuèedol site, and Vu-
èedol necropolises have not been recorded anywhere 
else so far. In total, more than 20 Vuèedol burials with
more than 60 deceased were excavated at the Vuèe dol 
site within the settlement (Vineyard Streim, Cornfield
Streim and Gradac) (Tab. 1).
3
 Burials of the Vuèedol 
culture appear in several other sites in Eastern Slavo-
nia, such as Vinkovci, Osi jek – Ciglana and Zeleno po -
lje, and Beli Manastir – Po pova zemlja. How ever, these 
are skeletons attributed to the Vuèedol culture based 
on indications or ex clu sively according to radiocarbon 
dates without fin dings or other cir cum stances that 
would support it (Dimitrijeviæ 1979.285; Hincak 
2005; Krmpotiæ et al. 2016; Jankoviæ, Novak 2018; 
Matheison et al. 2018; Miloglav 2018.131–134; Los 
2020). Outside the home area of the Vuèedol cul ture,
graves under tumuli are found in Serbia (Velika Hum ka 
in Batajnica, Humka in Vojka) and Montenegro (Ma la
Gruda, Velika Gruda and Bo ljeviæa Gruda) (Di mi trije -
viæ 1979.285–286, 333; Dur man 1988; Primas 1996; 
Bakoviæ, Govedarica 2009; Bakoviæ 2012; Saveljiæ-
Bulatoviæ et al. 2015).
According to the published and processed results so 
far, graves of the Vuèedol culture from the Vuèedol site
can be characterized as intramural (within the settle -
ment), primarily divided according to the type of bu -
rial into human and animal burials with several sub-
categories: (a) according to the type of grave/tomb 
ing considering the peripheral location within the set-
tlement and the proximity of the sacral-metallurgical 
complex Gradac. Grave burials in pits between resi den-
tial and workshop buildings and their mutual re la tion-
ships show a similar pattern in the organization of the 
settlement as in the mentioned position of the Vine-
yard Streim.
Considering the relatively small percentage of the ex -
cavated area of the entire Vuèedol site (about 15%), it
is difficult to create a complete picture of the organi za -
tion and functioning of the Vuèedol set tlement in cer-
tain phases. Nevertheless, within certain microloca-
tions in the current phase of excavation, some archi tec -
tural and functional elements can be concretely re con -
structed and they tell us about the psychology of the 
settlement of the Vuèedol site. The innovations that 
stand out in the new elements of architecture and con -
struction techniques speak of a high standard and 
chan ges in technological de velopment and give us pos-
sible solutions in the re construction of the organi za-
tion of the settlement in the Vuèedol site (Durman et 
al. 2013; 2014; 2015; 2016; Miloglav 2018.119–125; 
Roksandiæ Vukadin 2021.12–17).
Grave burials and funeral customs at the Vuèedol 
site
The largest part of the investigated structures at the 
Vuèedol site consists of above-ground residential and 
workshop buildings with associated infrastructure, 
as well as semi-open spaces for work and living. In 
addition to the profane elements of everyday life, with-
in the settlement itself there are objects that indicate
a sacred function and ritual activities. In addition to
the old excavation from 1938 at the Gradac site with
above-ground cult buildings (‘Copper Caster’s Me ga-
ron’) and the well-known excavated ‘Married Couple 
Grave’, a ceramic bird-shaped vessel widely known as 
‘Vuèedol Dove’
2
 and a deer burial, to which a ritual 
and magical role are attributed (Schmidt 1945.41–47;
2 One of the most famous pieces of pottery and symbol of Vuèedol is the ritual bird-shaped ceramic vessel, the so-called
‘Vuèedol Dove’, found in an excavation of Gradac in 1938 (Schmidt 1945). The latest interpretation by Durman, however, 
is that the vessel is in the shape of the male partridge, a symbol of fertility, whose limping defensive behaviour against
attack by predators on a partridge nest has symbolic meaning and is linked to the limping shaman–copper smelter (Mi li -
æeviæ-Bradaè 2002; Durman 2004).
3 Partial skeletal remains and findings from graves found during excavations of trenches V 84, V 85 and V 87 disappeared
or were destroyed in the Croatian War of Independence, and the majority of them are not published, but sporadically  
men tioned in the literature. That’s why ’it is hard to distinguish how accurate the number of graves is and what is the mi -
nimal number of the deceased in them. The cultural belonging of some of them is also in question. The revision of the 
documentation is currently being worked on in the archive of the Vuèedol culture Museum, so the accurate results will be
published soon.

276
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
cerned – in fact, each grave is specific. They are laid in
various positions: partially or heavily crou ched on
their left or right side, stretched out on their backs and
on their chest, and in the so-called sitting position. The
position of the arms, legs and head va ries. Apart from
graves in pits, several burials of ske letons are found
in the layer between the floors of hou ses without tra-
ces of a defined burial pit, and for now only at the po -
sition of the Vineyard Streim (Balen 2007.64). The 
filling of pit-graves, apart from a large amount of ce -
ramic, bone, stone and metal objects, is specific due
to the layers of ash, charcoal, pieces of daub, ochre or
cinnabar, as well as shells and snails (Schmidt 1945;
Durman 1988; 2000; Miliæeviæ-Bra daè 2001; Hin -
cak Daris et al. 2022; Roksandiæ Vu kadin 2022). Such 
a custom has been known since the Neolithic, and we 
find identical examples in the graves of the Baden 
and Kostolac cultures (Filipec et al. 2009; Balen 2010; 
201 1; Horváth 2010; 2017; Hor váth, Ko hler 2012). The 
number of deceased can vary from one, two or three 
to groups with more than 20 individuals. With regard 
to previous anthropological analyses, slightly more 
burials of women and children were recorded, and 
fewer of male individuals. Although human sacri fices
are associated with Vuèedol, most of the skeletons 
show no signs of a violent death (Durman 2000.40–
57; Hincak et al. 2013). The health status of the ana-
lysed skeletons does not deviate from the standard 
traces of work activities, and some diseases typical of 
the Eneolithic period. However, some spe cific traces on 
the bones, for example lesions or shal low depressions 
on the skulls of the deceased (Grave 3 from 1985 speak
of some specific treatment of the deceased before 
death. In addition to complete, un disturbed skeletons, 
secondary burials of body parts of the elderly de ce-
ased were recorded inside the graves, mostly com plete 
skulls, parts of skulls or extremities, i.e. long bones 
of arms and legs (postmortem mani pulation). This 
custom can be traced not only within gra ves, but also 
within other objects at the Vineyard and Cornfield 
Streim sites on house floors, in house walls, layers, and 
as independently laid in pits (Dur man 1988; 2000; 
Hoti 1989; 1993; Teschler-Nicola, Berner 1994.64; 
Miliæeviæ-Bradaè 2001.214; Hincak et al. 2013; Hin-
cak Daris et al. 2022; Roksandiæ Vuka din 2022). We 
have seen this custom since the Neo li thic in the Carpa-
thian Basin, especially in the Lengyel cul ture (Bánffy 
1990/91.225, 228) and in the Baden and Boleráz cul tu-
ral groups, and they are connected to the cult of skulls 
or the cult of ancestors (Banner 1956. 206; Miliæeviæ-
Bradaè 2001.214; Horváth 2010.37–42; 2017.402–
403; Bondár, Szécsényi-Nagy 2020).
(layer, pit, dislocated bones), (b) according to
the number of deceased (single, double, triple, 
group, parts of skulls and limbs, cenotaph?), (c) 
according to the type of ceremony (ritual, laid 
with out traces of ritual), (d) according to social 
status (findings pointing to social stratification –
elite individuals and others?). The majority of Vu -
èedol graves can be associated with the practice of 
rituals, more or less lavish, with contributions of va-
rious objects of daily use, objects of special purpose 
and contributions of animal bones, i.e. parts of animal 
skeletons with traces of cutting, butchering or burning 
(Jurišiæ 1990; Hincak 1995; Miheliæ, Leiner 2022). In -
dependent ritual burials of animals were found at the 
Gradac and Vineyard Streim positions, but most of 
them have not been processed or published (Schmidt 
1945.28; Jurišiæ 1990.22; Miloglav 2012). Complete 
ap pendages of animals have so far not been found with
human skeletons. The remains of animal bones, along
with human deceased, were mostly recorded in large
quantities and indicate a large number of in di viduals, 
and they certainly speak of the prosperity of the Vu èe -
dol community, which could afford such ‘gifts’ in food
(Jurišiæ 1990; Miheliæ, Leiner 2022). Of course, animal 
offerings also had a deep, symbolic role (Durman 
1988; Jurišiæ 1990; Hoti 1993; Miliæeviæ-Bradaè 2001; 
2002; Pasariæ 2018).
According to the type of grave/tomb in Vuèedol, buri -
  als are mostly found in deep and shallow pits, in the 
layers next to the floors of houses, between pits, and
dislocated human bones are found around the set tle -
ment and on the slope of the tell (Schmidt 1945; Di mi-
trijeviæ 1979; Markoviæ 1985; Težak-Gre gl, Durman 
1985; Durman 1986; 1988; 2000; 2006; Balen 2007;
Hutinec 2012; Radman 2018). A catacomb tomb relat-
ed to the well-known ‘Married Couple Grave’ that is as-
sociated with steppe influence are mentioned in the ex -
cavations of Gradac (Schmidt 1945.44; Tasiæ 1967.
59; Garašanin 1970.135; Dimi tri jeviæ 1979.284–285;
Miliæeviæ-Bradaè 2001.211). No such types of tombs 
were found in the other in vestigated positions. There
are mostly deep or shal low pits, cylindrical in shape, 
with vertical walls de scending to a flat bottom (sub-
soil) or they spread in a bell-shaped manner to wards
the bottom, forming a burial niche, thus somewhat
reminiscent of a catacomb burial (Težak-Gregl, Dur-
man 1 985; Durman 1 988; 1 999; 2000; 2009; Hoti 1 993;
Miliæeviæ-Bradaè 2001). The deceased lie on a flat 
subsoil in the pits, and are buried in the layer/fil ling of
the pits or in niches on a loess charge. They were bu ried
towards the edge or in the middle of the pit, and no
special pattern for laying the deceased has been dis  -

277
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
Site Label
Burial type 
by number of 
individuals
Burial type 
by context
Cultural 
affiliation
Sex
Skeleton elements in grave 
burial
Gradac
Grave 3, 4
ՙMarried couple 
grave՚
double (2) pit
Vučedol 
culture
♂ complete
♀ complete
Gradac Grave 5 single (1) pit
Vučedol 
culture (?)
♀ partial (destroyed grave)
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 1
V 85
ՙOrion grave՚
single (1) pit
Vučedol 
culture
♂ complete
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 2
V 84
single (1) pit
Vučedol 
culture (?)
? complete, commingled?
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 4
V 84
single (1) pit
Late 
Eneolithic
? complete
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 6
V 84
single (1) pit
Late 
Eneolithic
child complete
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 7
V 84
single (1) pit
Late 
Eneolithic
child complete
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 1
V 85
group (3 or 
more)
pit
Late 
Eneolithic
? commingled?
? complete, commingled?
? commingled?
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 2
V 85
? ?
Late 
Eneolithic
? ?
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 3
V 85
ՙMars and Venus 
grave՚
group (8) pit
Vučedol 
culture
♀/1
cranium (postmortem 
manipulation)
♀/2 complete
♀/3 complete
♂/4 complete
♀/5 complete
♀/6 complete
♀/7, 
child
complete
♀/8 complete
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 4
V 85
single (1) pit
Vučedol 
culture
♀ complete
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 5
V 85
single (1) layer
Late 
Eneolithic
♀, child complete
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 1
V 87
? ?
Late 
Eneolithic
? ?
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 2
V 87
single (1) pit
Late 
Eneolithic
♀ complete
Vineyard 
Streim
Grave 3
V 87
double (2) pit
Vučedol 
culture
♂, child complete
♀ complete
Vineyard 
Streim
SJ 37
V 04
double (2) layer
Vučedol 
culture
?
postcranium (postmortem 
manipulation)
? commingled
Vineyard 
Streim
SJ 37
V 04
double (2) layer
Vučedol 
culture
? commingled
? commingled
Cornfield 
Streim
Grave 2
V 12
single (1) pit
Vučedol 
culture
?
cranium (postmortem 
manipulation)
Cornfield 
Streim
Grave 3
V 12
group (3 or 
more)
pit
Vučedol 
culture
? commingled
Cornfield 
Streim
Grave 4
V 17
single (1) pit
Vučedol 
culture
?
cranium (postmortem 
manipulation)
Cornfield 
Streim
Grave 5
V 17
single (1) pit
Vučedol 
culture
♂
complete + extra ulnar bone 
(postmortem manipulation)

278
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
which eight deceased were ritually buried, and the 
largest group grave investigated so far was found in 
the recent excavation of the Cornfield Streim from 
2021 (Grave 6) with at least 22 indivi du als. In both 
cases it was a ritual bu rial and the deceased were laid 
in several stages, over a period of time of per haps se -
veral weeks. Both pits were prepared in ad vance for
the ritual, the deceased were carefully placed in dif fe-
rent positions, they were covered with a large amount 
of charcoal and ash with a large amount of grave goods 
mostly ceramic pots and animal bones. In both graves, 
skulls from some older graves were secon darily added, 
which may point to a cult of ancestors, and on some 
skulls depressions, i.e. lesions on the top of the head 
or forehead, were noticed. The cause of death of the 
de ceased is unknown in both graves. This points to a 
large and long-lasting ceremony in which many people 
participated and placed prestigious gifts in the graves, 
and the large amount of animal bones with traces of 
cut ting and burning point to a kind of ritual feasting 
(Durman 1988; 2000; Miliæeviæ-Bradaè 2001; Hincak 
Daris et al. 2022; Roksandiæ Vukadin 2022).
The burial of human remains in pits within the set-
tlement is taken over by the Vuèedol culture as a tradi -
  tional element of older Late Neolithic cultures, espe-
cially the Sopot-Lengyel cultural circle. During the time 
of the Lengyel culture in the Carpathian Ba sin, the so-
cial hierarchy changes, social differences increase and
the population begins to be buried in separate necro-
po lises, however, the tradition of bury ing a certain 
type of people within the settlement still remains (No-
votný 1962.162–163; Bánffy 1990 (1991).192–193; 
Toth 2019.39–43). Such customs, which can be more 
directly connected with the Vuèedol culture, can be 
seen in the sites of the Baden culture in Hungary (Bu-
dakalász, Szentes, Balatonlelle-Rádpusz  ta, Szentes-
Nagy hegy, Balatonõszõd-Temetõi dûlõ, etc.) (Banner 
1956; Horváth 2010.37–42; 2017.402–403; Horváth, 
Kohler 2012; Bondár, Szécsényi-Nagy 2020). It should 
In addition to pits with human and animal burials, 
there are pits filled with a large amount of finds, as 
well as objects of special purpose attached for ritual 
pur poses without traces of any deceased. Whether this 
means that these are independent ritual pits of the ce-
notaph type or that there is a deceased person in the 
immediate vicinity in another building is a question 
that is still impossible to answer (Roksandiæ Vukadin 
2022). Most of the graves in Vuèedol, which are cy lin-
 dri cal and bell-shaped pits prepared in advance for 
burial, contain the deceased who were carefully treat-
ed and placed in various positions within the pits. Such
pits are mostly sealed with lids or seals with several 
layers of loess, filled with daub and are often well 
burned (Hoti 1993; Miliæeviæ-Bradaè 2001). The pits
themselves, i.e. their shape and function, can per haps 
be symbolically interpreted as symbols of fertility and
well-being, especially those with a bell-shaped cross-
section, which are interpreted in the literature as sto-
rage pits for storing grain (Reynolds 1974; Jiménez-
Jái mez et al. 2020). Older graves in pits are often used
as waste pits, so most of the skeletons inside are de stroy-
ed and dislocated by secondary use. Despite the com -
mon claims that older waste pits or storage pits could
serve as graves, and that the deceased were bu ried in-
side, the authors of this paper did not observe such 
cases while reviewing the do cumentation. What can be
concluded is that the pits were carefully pre pared for
burials, with regular floor plans and flat, aligned flo-
ors, and vertical, polished and reinforced walls, and 
some have prepared niches and loess charges for lay-
ing the deceased. Such pits were certainly marked and
visible in the area, and pro bably corres ponded with 
other objects in the area and formed a cluster of two, 
three or four tombs. It is thus con si dered that the larg -
er graves/tombs of group burials may have been fa-
mily, i.e. clan-organized, with in the settlement (Hoti 
1993; Forenbaher 1994.320; Miliæe viæ-Bradaè 2001. 
215 ). The most fa mous group burial iscertainly Grave 3
from 1985 from the location of Vineyard Streim, in 
Cornfield 
Streim
Grave 6
V 17
group (22) pit
Vučedol 
culture
?
15 crania (postmortem 
manipulation)
? complete
♀ complete
? complete
? complete
? complete
? commingled
? commingled
Tab. 1. List of excavated graves with available data from all positions in Vuèedol site (authors S. Bošnjak and
D. Roksandiæ Vukadin).

279
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
with the well-preserved bones of a complete skull that 
was buried in a shallow pit (J 39, SJ 184/185) next to 
the so-cal led House 13 in the third construction phase 
of the Vuèe dol culture (Fig. 2). Grave 4 (SJ 498) from 
2017 refers to the destroyed skull bones that were 
placed in a shallow pit (J 97, SJ 496/497) between the 
above-ground objects in the second construction layer. 
Both burials of skulls belong to the layers of the Late 
Classic B2 Vuèedol culture and were most likely placed 
in the mentioned layers with a specific intention, i.e. 
as part of the ancestor cult tradition mentioned in the 
pre  vi ous chapter. Traces of trauma or violent death on
these skull bones have not been pre liminarily es tab-
lished (Durman et al. 2016; Hutinec, Šuljug 2018).
Such burials are known to us from old research from 
the 1980s, for example the skull of a woman without a
mandible in Grave 3, and the human femur bone from
Pit 20 from 1985 at the Vineyard Streim location (Mi-
liæeviæ-Bradaè 2001.214). Interesting information is 
given by M. Miliæeviæ-Bradaè about a complete skull 
from 1981 found at the location of Cornfield Streim 
during probing excavations, that was found on the 
floor of the house next to the hearth, near the altar 
that was in the form of the so-called consecrative horns
be noted that at the Vuèedol site, be low the oldest layer 
of the Vuèedol settlement, we can trace the Kostolac 
and Baden settlement layers with buried graves in pits, 
whose burial pattern ap parently continued during the
Vuèedol culture. The Baden and Kostolac burials from
Vuèedol have not been extensively researched or pub-
lished, but there are certain similarities in the burial 
ritual between these two cultures (Schmidt 1945.41–
47; Dimitrijeviæ 1979. 202–203; Težak-Gregl 1985). In
the area of east ern Slavonia and Syrmia, among the 
few explored graves of the Baden and Ko sto lac culture 
within the settlement, burial customs show certain 
similarities with the Vuèedol site (Miheliæ 2008; No di -
lo 2012.14; Balen 2010; 2011; Horváth, Balen 2012).
Burials from recent research from the position 
of the Cornfield Streim
Recent archaeological excavations took place at the 
position of the Cornfield Streim (trenches V 12 and V 
17) in the time frame from 2012 to 2022 on an area of 
1200m
2
 where, in addition to the already mentioned 
workshop part of the settlement, five graves were also
excavated (Grave 2–5) i.e. burial units from the Vu èe-
dol culture period (Durman et al. 2013; 2014; 2015; 
2016; Hutinec et al. 2017; Hu ti-
nec, Šuljug 2018; Durman, Huti-
nec 2019).
4
 
Graves were found 
within all con struc tion phases 
of the set tle ment (pha ses 1 to 5), 
and they are mostly individual or 
group ske le ton graves inside pits, 
and individual skull bones or 
long bones of limbs (postmortem 
ma nipu la tions) placed within 
la yers in shal low pits between 
above-ground objects.
Burials of human bones de fin ed
under numbers 2 and 4 (Graves 2
and 4) are considered post mor-
tem manipulations, i.e. there are
parts of skulls, one complete and
one crushed, which were placed
in a layer that had no tra ces of
other bones. The context of Grave
2 (SJ 204) from 201 5 is quite clear
4 In 2012, at the position of trench V 12, a skeletal burial without a proper grave was found, attributed to the Vinkovci-Somogy-
var culture period, which was located at the very edge of the settlement next to the so-called rampart of Vinkovci culture 
(Grave 1, SJ 021/022). The graves from this period are known from the first excavations of Vuèedol done by Brunšmid in 
1897, when the cemetery in rows was excavated (see ft. 1).
Fig. 2. Skull placed in the pit J 39, SJ 184/185 as part of the ritual (post mor-
tem manipulation) (author D. Roksandiæ Vukadin).

280
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
was a fireplace with the remains of charcoal and ashes. 
The deceased were buried in various positions and 
orientations, and were sprinkled with layers of ash, 
charcoal, river shells, animal bones and fragments of 
ceramic pottery. Traces of red colour were found with
the deceased in the layers, which also indicate evi-
dence in favour of a ritual burial that is known through -
out prehistory. Fifteen skulls without other skeletal 
remains were placed on these layers. What is impor -
tant is that those 1 5 skulls were secondarily plac ed on 
top of the grave without other skeletal remains, and 
they can be treated as grave contributions, i.e. they 
may have been ritually brought from another location 
or from older graves, which could indicate a cult of 
skulls and a cult of ancestors and a special relationship
to the dead and the afterlife (Miliæeviæ-Bra daè 2001; 
Bondar, Szécsényi-Nagy 2020; Stavreva 2022.20–
22). Many complete pots and parts of richly decorated 
pottery and animal bones were placed along with the 
deceased. The remains of clay altars in the form of con-
secrative horns were also found in the tomb, which 
speaks of the cult of worshiping horned animals, pri-
marily cattle (Hoti 1989). Animal bones in this context 
should be understood as a grave goods, and some of 
them show traces of butchering. Nume rous processed 
finds made of animal bones were also found, primarily 
hollow cattle horns and deer antlers that show traces 
of sawing or cutting, probably with metal tools, as well 
as various bone awls, spatulas made of animal ribs and
many other tools used in everyday life or rituals. With
a complete zooarchaeological analysis, it will be pos-
sible to say how many animals were killed in this ritual 
and how many kilos of meat were sacrificed, but it is 
cer  tainly case of several tens of kilograms. The ritual 
of the Vuèedolians itself is not completely known, but 
analogies from older cul tures show that a special ri tual
took place here for some se parate class that held a hi-
gh er position in society, with a real ritual feast that 
could last for several days, where the deceased were 
exposed and specially treated (Horvath, Koh ler 2012;
Horváth 2017; 2019; Hincak Daris et al. 2022; Rok-
sandiæ Vukadin 2022; Stavreva 2022). A spatial ana-
lysis of this part of the settlement will su rely establish 
some regularities in the planning, construction and re -
lationships between profane ar chi tecture and graves,
(Hoti 1989.34; Miliæeviæ-Bradaè 2001.214).
5
 
This phe -
nomenon of burying parts of human skeletons as se-
parate burials or as grave contributions is known from 
all excavated positions in Vuèedol and is indeed one of 
the most important traditional elements known since 
the Neolithic that the Vuèedol culture inherited and 
maintained throughout its entire period at the Vuèedol 
site. Graves 3 and 6 are defined as group graves dug in
deep pits previously prepared for the burial of a large
number of the deceased with a large amount of con tri-
butions and finds with a special pur pose that indicate 
a ritual character (Durman et al. 2016; Hincak Daris 
et al. 2022; Roksandiæ Vukadin 2022). Grave 3 (SJ 
226) was found in 2015 inside a pit (J 46, SJ 227/228) 
that was previously prepared for the burial of the 
deceased. The pit has a relative depth of about 2m, 
cylindrical shape and contains at least three deceased 
people whose bones were de stroyed and dislocated 
due to the digging of the pit from the younger layer 
of the Vuèedol culture (J 45, SJ 220/221). Preliminary 
anthropological ana lysis established that there were 
at least three individuals of a younger age who were 
bu ried along the southern edge of the pit wall on a 
loess charge just above the very bottom. The burial pit 
was almost completely destroyed by a younger burial, 
the bones and contributions were dislocated, and it is 
difficult to draw concrete conclusions. Grave 3 belongs 
to the third construction phase of the Vuèedol culture 
at this position. Grave 6 from 2021 is defined as the 
largest group grave in Vuèedol, as well as in the entire 
Vuèedol culture, with a minimum of 22 deceased. The 
burial pit consists of two parts, a smaller pit (J 155, SJ 
866, 867, 882, 883, 884, 890) and a larger pit (J 158,
SJ 775, 776, 779, 780, 781, 856–858, 865, 868, 871–
876, 882–884, 887–889) that form a whole-tomb. The 
pit was carefully planned, dug and prepared for the bu -
rial of the deceased. An earthen type grave, made of
loess with walls covered with fine clay and then fired 
for hardness. It consists of two spaces, one main larger 
one (funeral chamber), with a diameter of 3m where 
the deceased were buried, and a smaller pit that serv -
ed as an antechamber where numerous grave contri-
bu tions were found. Layout wise, it is a pit burial in the
shape of the number eight, which is sealed at the top 
with 1.5m layers of clay and fired earth, on top of which 
5 Excavations on the position of the Cornfield Streim in 1981 was led by Durman when he opened three small trenches, the
largest of which measuring 10x5m was located inside the recent trench V 17, which is a continuation of the re search of 
trench V 12 from 2012. The mentioned skull find was thus located in the vicinity of other recent graves investigated from 
2012 to 2021. The documentation and findings from the research were destroyed by the destruction of Vukovar in 1991 
during the war, and unfortunately we cannot obtain more specific information about this burial. Revision surveys of the 
probe from 1981 were carried out during the expansion of the V 12 probe from 2017, but nothing else was pre served apart 
from the destroyed stratigraphy.

281
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
on the loose filling of the pit (Fig. 3). Pri marily, Grave
5 (SJ 689/690) belongs to the fourth con struction
phase of the settlement, it was buried in the oldest Vu-
èedol layer SJ 270 and SJ 691, and goes deeper into the
subsoil to a relative depth of 350cm (108.80–108.00m 
AMSL). The grave was filled with several layers of soil 
mixed with daub, charcoal, biological remains and 
small finds marked as SJ 689/1–6. The upper edge of 
the grave is at an absolute height of 108.82m and is 
defined as a layer of loose grey soil with admixtures 
of daub and charcoal (SJ 689/1–2), and this is also the
lower edge of the pit J 101, which did not destroy the
grave with its dig as is usually the case. An example of
the destruction of an older pit and of the secondary dig
is the already mentioned Grave 3, which was destroy -
ed by the digging of a pit from the younger phase of
the settlement, and numerous exam ples of seconda -
ry uses of pit burials can be seen thro u ghout the site
(Durman 1988; Forenbaher 1994; Te žak-Gregl 1998;
Balen 2010; Miloglav 2016). In the example of Grave
5, there was no secondary use of pits and graves. How-
 ever, there is an interesting strati gra phic si tua tion
where, in one small area in the section of the layers
that are 350cm thick, we can follow the constant bu -
rial of similar objects, in this case of pits that are clear -
ly separated from each other, ranging from the young-
est to the oldest phase of the settlement. Obviously, 
due to the looseness of the soil this part of the terrain 
was constantly used for dumping and burying waste. 
The investigated pits in the vicinity, es pecially in the 
southern part of the trench, where the edge of this 
settlement plateau is located, were defined as waste 
pits with a large amount of animal bones, ashes and
daub. This is certainly evidence in favour of the au-
thors who place larger waste disposal sites at the very 
edge of the settlement (Hayden, Cannon 1983). In the 
recent layers of humus SJ 001 and SJ 001a, sub sidence 
of the terrain is visible in that place but also in several
others towards the very edge of the plateau, which im -
mediately indicates the long-term digging of what are
probably older pits with loose fil lings. In these places, 
during the excavation certain geo logical anomalies 
and cracks in the soil caused by tectonic movement 
and water washing were recorded in the subsoil, cau-
sing deep natural depressions into which the cultural 
layers sank (Bognar 1976).
Typologically, the grave belongs to the type of in di   vi-
dual skeletal burials in a pit (one male person), and ac -
cording to stratigraphic relationships, it was buried in
the fourth construction phase of the Vuèedol sett le-
ment (Fig. 4).
which obviously function in some symbiosis. Con si-
dering the relatively small num  ber of burials from this 
position, but also from the entire Vu èedol site, and 
their partial and insufficient analysis and publication, 
one gets the impression that the Vuèedol culture shows 
certain inconsistencies re garding the burial of the 
dead and funeral customs. In deed, each mentioned 
grave burial shows certain pe cu liarities, but also some
common elements and the follow ing of certain estab-
lished patterns, thus creating a general picture of the
treatment of the dead at the Vu èe dol site. Grave 5 (SJ 
689/690) was excavated in 2019, and refers to an indi-
vidual skeleton burial in a burial pit (J 101, SJ 51 5/516). 
That is also the only excavated individual grave inside 
the pit from the position of the Cornfield Streim. In the
next chapter, we present the knowledge and conclu-
sions that re sulted from the first systematic and com -
prehensive analysis of this grave burial, and it repre-
sents an im  portant contribution to the knowledge of 
funeral customs at the Vuèedol site.
Grave 5 – stratigraphic relations, analysis and in -
  terpretation of the burial
Grave 5 (SJ 689/690) is located next to the western 
pro file of trench V 17, buried just below the pit object 
with a relative depth of 280cm (J 101, SJ 515/516). It 
was excavated during the 2019 campaign as a con ti nu-
 ation of the excavations of the objects of the third and 
fourth construction phases of the Vuèedol settlement. 
The location of the grave within the ex cavated part of 
the settlement is rather isolated, so it cannot be seen 
whether it is part of an unit, an ob  ject or if it is in a re-
lation to others. However, the pro ximity of a pit (J 103,
SJ 533/534) defined as a ritual or cenotaph type pit
with a large amount of in tact richly decorated pot tery, 
as well as various finds and objects of special pur pose
that speak in favour of a ritual character, is interesting. 
Other pit objects in the vicinity belong to the type of
waste pits or sto rage pits, and the above-ground ob-
jects, houses, show a distinct workshop character with
traces of certain processing activities (Hutinec et al. 
2021). The stra ti graphic relations of the grave and the 
younger layers are clearly visible in the cross-sec tion of
the west ern profile of the trench, they speak of the use
of similar objects in the younger phases of the set tle-
ment ap plied in the same spot and of the pragmatic 
use of space and existing resources (Fig. 3). Pit J 101 
was dug during the second and third construction pha-
ses of the settlement (SJ 039, 565/567, SJ 516/1-5), and
was probably also visible in the youngest phase, the first
construction phase (SJ 024, 036), where the floors
of the houses were sinking due to the poor foundation 

282
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
form a bell-shaped burial pit with an extension in the 
form of a niche (Fig. 6). The deceased was laid on the 
flat bottom of the pit, on a prepared subsoil in a niche 
along its southern edge.
The filling of the grave (SJ 689/1–6) consists of six la -
yers in which the skeleton was buried, indicating cer-
tain symbolic and ritual behaviour. Layer SJ 689/1 
(109.02–108.64m AMSL) is the contact layer between 
Pit 101 and Grave 5 and consists of dark grey-brown 
soil. The older layer is SJ 689/2 (108.82–108.62m 
amsl), which consists of grey loose earth with ad mix -
tures of ash, and may indicate a certain part of the fu-
neral ritual that includes lighting a fire and sprinkling 
ashes on a fireplace above the pit after the burial of the
deceased, burial and sealing of the grave. Fill SJ 689/3 
(108.65–108.42m AMSL) is a harder layer of yellow 
charge made of pure loess and brown earth, 5–10cm in
thickness. It is placed in order to seal the grave by com-
pacting a layer of loess and harder, fatter earth. We see 
these layers of sealing in most of the excavated graves 
on Vuèedol. Layer SJ 689/4 is a loose fill of grey soil
The calibrated absolute dates obtained from the bone
sample of the deceased also speak in fa vour of older 
phases of settling at this location (2910–2670 cal BC,
4222±33 BP).
6,7
 
These dates fit the existing radio car-
bon dates of the Vuèedol culture from the Vineyard 
Streim site, which are mostly in the range of 3000 and 
2500 BC and confirm the existence of the Early and 
Classic phases of the Vuèedol culture (Fig. 5). Accord- 
ing to the dates from the research done after 2000 in 
the V 04 trench from the Vineyard Streim position, the
theory of the existence of the Late Classic B2 phase of 
the Vuèedol culture is put forward, contrary to what 
was the common opinion until then, that Vuèedol was
inhabited only in the A and B1 phases (Balen 2010.T. 
8). Recent investigations of the position of the Corn-
field Streim definitely established the existence of B2 
phase in several construction phases, but also the exi-
stence of B1 phase precisely with the date from Grave 
5 (Hutinec et al. 2021).
Burial Grave 5 (SJ 690), with a relative depth of 80cm, 
has vertical walls that widen towards the bottom and 
6 AMS results: AMS 14C Lab Code: DeA-25458; Sample prep. Nr.: I/24101; Sample ID: PN 3457; Sample material: bone; Conv.
14
C age (yrs BP, ±1σ): 4222±33; Cal. Age (cal AD/BC, 2σ): BC 2910-2670.
7 MS radiocarbon measurements were performed in the laboratory of Isotoptech Zrt. (Debrecen, Hungary) on one bone
sample from Grave 5. We thank Mirela Hutinec, the director of the Vuèedol Culture Museum for providing us the re port 
done by Iso toptech Zrt. Laboratory from 30.04.2020.
Fig. 3. Part of the western profile of trench V 17 (profile A) with a section of pit J 101 and Grave 5 (authors S. 
Bošnjak and D. Roksandiæ Vukadin).

283
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
incarnation, but also to break their 
connection with the living, to pro-
tect them from their possible harm -
ful ef fects and from a new death 
(Stav reva 2022.18). As can be ob-
serv ed in Grave 6, a group grave, 
char coal and ashes can, together 
with other finds such as ceramic 
pots and animal bones, point to a
ri tual feast (Miliæeviæ-Bradaè 
2001; Horváth 2019). Below this 
la yer, layer SJ 689/5 of river snails 
and shells appears, 15cm thick 
(108.45–108.30m amsl) (Fig. 7a.1).
Such backfills are known from ot -
her excavated graves from Vuèe dol,
however, they have ne ver been re-
corded in this quantity, i.e. the thickness of the layer. 
The custom of placing fresh water shells and molluscs 
in graves has been known since the Neolithic (e.g., the 
Linear Pottery culture in Slovakia and Transdanubia), 
it is not excluded that as food they could have had a 
sym  bolic meaning (a symbol of rebirth) and that they
were consumed as a ritual meal during re li gious ce re-
 monies or that they in di cat ed warmer periods, spring
or sum mer (Pavúk 1980.208; 1994.98; Hroma da, 
Varsik 1992.47; Jelínek 2010.32–34; Toth 2019.39–
40).
The layer just above the skeleton is SJ 689/6, which 
con sists of loose brown soil mixed with charcoal and
animal bones (108.35–108.00m amsl). Traces of char-
coal and animal bones with traces of scraping, cut-
with a large amount of charcoal and ash, 20cm thick 
(108.65–108.40m amsl) (Fig. 7a.1, a.2). Such layers are 
already known in almost all graves in the site and are 
apparently a standard part of rituals throughout the 
entire period of the Vu èedol culture (Durman 1988;
2000). Covering the deceased with charcoal can have
multiple meanings. Traces of charcoal and ash may in-
dicate that fires were lit over the deceased to reduce 
the unpleasant smell of decomposing bodies. The ri-
tual could have lasted se veral days or weeks, so the 
grave could have been open for a long time. In this 
ritual, beech, ash or elm wood rich in tannins and 
plant proteins with a bacteriostatic effect or maybe 
some grasses and aromatic herbs could have been 
used. These things, in combination with the thermal 
effect, could denature the proteins in the bo dies, pre-
venting decom position for some time 
(Mi liæeviæ-Bradaè 2001.215–216). Tem -
perature and smoke together with tan -
nins can also have a slight mum mi fy ing
effect, as we know from the tombs of,
for exam ple, the Yamnaya culture (Maj-
chrzak, W³odarczak 2021.169–172). 
The per cep tion of fire as an act of pu ri fi-
cation and protection has a universal 
character and occurs in different geo gra -
phical areas, in different historical pe-
riods and in dif ferent contexts (Horváth 
2010.68–69; 2017.396; Stavreva 2022.
17–18). It is used in rituals for purifi ca -
tion and pro tection during some im por-
tant life events or transitions: birth, mar-
riage, and death (Grebenarova 2009.
194). According to folk beliefs, fire is used
in the grave to protect the dead from re-
Fig. 4. Position of the skeleton in the Grave 5 (author S. Bošnjak).
Fig. 5. Radiocarbon date (AMS) for Grave 5 (OxCal v. 4.4.4, Bronk 
Ramsey 2021; Atmospheric data, Reimer et al. 2020) (prepared by S.
Bošnjak).

284
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
were interpreted as ritual bu rials (Banner 1956.81; 
Jurišiæ 1990.27; Horváth 2010; 2019). Cattle burials 
were also found in Vuèedol, and they are as sociated 
with the cultures of Baden and Kostolac (Ju rišiæ 1990. 
22–23). From the earliest sanc tuaries that contain bu -
crania or only horns, through many Neolithic cultu res
up to the Eneolithic, it is possible to trace the appea rance
of cattle in dif fe rent forms and contexts. Real cattle 
horns were already replaced in the Neolithic by their
schematized representations, as a hint of what we call
consecrative horns in the Ko stolac and Vuèedol cul-
tures (Hoti 1989; Šimiæ 2020.165–173). Consecrative 
horns at the Vuèedol site are found in most houses 
located on the floor near the hearth (Hoti 1990). Real 
horns in the form of bucrania are found in front of 
Vuèedol houses or on the floors, while horns or parts 
of horns are found in layers, pits and graves. The two 
horns in Grave 5 certainly have a strong symbolic role,
and while on the one hand they are a symbol of ferti li-
ty, abundance, birth and life, on the other they are re -
lated to dying, death and the underworld.
Layer SJ 689/6 is 30cm thick and in addition to animal 
bones the outlines of a human skeleton lying on the 
flat bottom of the pit in a layer of yellow compacted
loess (subsoil), could be seen there. In this layer a lar -
ger piece of stone (grindstone) was also recorded, 
which was deliberately placed on the torso of the de-
ceased, which for now is another phenomenon and a 
new ele  ment recorded in burials at Vuèedol. This piece 
of grinding stone was certainly not accidentally thrown 
at the deceased, but it probably indicates a ritual func-
tion. Placing a stone on the body of the deceased can 
be interpreted as a precaution to immobilize the de-
ceased at the bottom of the grave so that he cannot get 
out. This custom is recorded in graves until the Mid dle 
Ages. We find similar cases in the Eneolithic graves in 
Bulgaria at the site of Durankulak and Demir Baba 
Teke, where stones were placed on various parts of 
ting and burning point to a ritual feast.
We find a similar situation in the gra-
ves of the Baden cul ture in Hun gary,
but also in other posi ti ons at the Vuèe -
dol site (Durman 1988; Jurišiæ 1990;
Hincak 1995; Hor váth 2006; 2010; 
2019). A preliminary analy sis of the ani -
mal bones established se veral species 
of domestic and wild ani mals (cattle, 
deer, pig, small ruminants, sheep or
goats and fish), while a de tailed zoo-
archaeological analysis brings the re -
sults pre sented in the following chap -
ters. The burial of animals with humans is ex plain -
ed by social, religious and emo tional motives (Beh-
 rens 1964.161–162). Most of the pits in Vuèedol re -
cord a large amount of animal bones, so one gets 
the impression that bone material occupies a lar ger
part of the total researched finds. It is almost impos  -
sible to explain such a quantity of animal bones, and
then define and separate the burials as ritual or pro -
fane with certainty. Funeral rites must have some com -
mon characteristics, recurring aspects (in the way
of dying, character of burial, location, finds, etc.) and 
coincidences that suggest that a particular burial is 
not a common, profane death (Horváth 2010; Pasariæ 
2018). At Vuèedol, two types of ritual burials of ani mals
can be distinguished for now: parts of animal skeletons 
laid next to the human deceased as part of a ritual feast, 
and independent burials of complete ani mal skeletons 
as sacrifices of some communal ritual probably related 
to the cult of fertility or social status (e.g., a pit with 
a deer burial in front of the sacral-work shop building 
the ‘Copper Caster’s Megaron’) (Schmidt 1945.28). Ne -
vertheless, the majority of complete animal burials from
the excavation done so far at the Vineyard Streim site be -
 long to the Baden and Kostolac cultures, while in the pits
of the Vuèedol culture settlements we record more par -
tial parts of skeletons or fragmented, cut or split bones 
(Jurišiæ 2010). In Grave 5, in addition to the animal 
bones, there are also two hollow cattle horns (Fig. 7.b,
PN 3458, PN 3468) which show a distinct ritual cha -
racter, can be connected to the cult of fertility, and
are placed next to the thigh and chest of the deceas ed. 
Cattle certainly have a special meaning in the Eneo-
lithic period, starting with the arrival of the Baden cul -
ture. With the advent of the Eneolithic, the general 
Euro pean symbolism of cattle gradually changes in 
some details, although it most likely still retains its pri  -
mordial, ancient general meaning of worshiping fe male
deities. Cattle burials were dis covered in the area set-
tled by the Baden culture, the vast majority of which
Fig. 6. Layout and cross-section of Grave 5 and Pit J 101 (authors S. 
Boš njak and D. Roksandiæ Vukadin).

285
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
The deceased (young male person, age 11–15 years) 
was laid in a very crouched, hocker position on his left
side, which indicates that he was placed in the grave 
immediately after death while the body was flexible, 
before stiffness, rigor mortis, occurred, but there is 
also the possibility that he was tied. The most common 
the body of the deceased (shoulder, legs, pelvis, skull)
(Bartelheim, Heyd 2001.268–269; Stavreva 2022.16). 
In the case of the deceased from Grave 5, the weight of
the stone destroyed parts of the bones of the chest, 
causing movement and rotation of the skull, arms, 
vertebrae and pelvis (Fig. 7.a.1).
Fig. 7. Layout of Grave 5 by research phase (a.1–3, b) (authors S. Bošnjak and D. Roksandiæ Vukadin).

286
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
2021 (Hoti 1993; Hincak 2005; Hincak Daris et al. 
2022; Roksandiæ Vukadin 2022). Traces of a dull red
colour were also found on the mentioned skulls in-
side the hollows, which indicate the use of cinnabar, 
which is a custom, as well as sprinkling with ochre, 
known in remote Pre historic times (Çatalhöyük, Var na 
I) (Schots mans et al. 2022; Hincak et al. 2022; Stav -
reva 2022). In pre historic times, the presence of red
ochre in graves is associated with the concept of pre-
serving life by the passage of the soul to the afterlife, 
and the red colour provides magical power to cross 
the border between the two worlds. The other bones 
of the deceased were relatively well preserved, and ac-
cording to preliminary analysis it was a younger male 
person (adolescent). Next to the legs of the deceased 
was another human bone (left ulna of an adult male 
person, age 40–50 years) that does not belong to the 
mentioned person, and no other bones were recorded 
(Fig. 7.b). This finding is in support of the ritual of 
secondary laying of individual bones from an older 
grave, in this case upper limbs, namely arm bones. This 
phenomenon can be related to the cult of ancestors, 
and it constantly appears in Vuèedol, especially related 
to ritual burials, which we wrote about in previous 
chapters. Offering parts of the human body is a tradi -
tional ritual in many societies, and is explained as pro-
tection for the living or for their redemption (Stavreva 
2022).
Finds with the skeleton of the deceased are con tri bu-
tions in a ritual burial, and we can divide them into ce-
ramic (pots and loom whorls), bone (antler awl), stone 
(whetstone), and horns (hollow horns of cattle) (Pls. 
1–3 (see below), cat. no. 1–12, Fig. 7.b).
Ceramic pots are a typical repertoire in Vuèedol gra-
ves, as grave contributions in the form of whole pots or 
more or less fragmented ones. They are mostly fine ta -
bleware items, but there are also fragments of coarse 
kitchen pottery. There are large quantities of them in 
the graves: the ‘Married Couple Grave’ records 21 com-
p lete pots, 30 broken ones and over 800 frag ments, 
Gra ve 3 (V 85) contains 4670 ceramic frag ments, Gra-
ve 2 (V 84) contains more than 40 pots (Schmidt 1945. 
41–44; Durman 1988.48; Miliæeviæ-Bradaè 2001.213). 
Large quantities of pots in graves indicate some kind 
of wealth and prosperity, but they are not primarily a 
symbol of prestige in the Eneolithic cul tures and Vuèe-
dol society. In addition to complete pots, fragmented 
pots with traces of older breaks were also placed in the
graves. These contributions were placed in the graves 
as prestigious gifts, whether from family, tribe or al-
positions of the deceased at Vuèedol are: strong or re-
laxed hocker left or right (on the chest or back with
deviations in the position of the head, arms and legs), 
stretched out on the back and on the stomach (with 
deviations in the position of the head, arms and legs), 
and in a so-called sitting position. Throughout the 
Eneolithic there are examples of gender differentiation 
according to the position of the deceased, especially in
the hocker position with respect to the left or right 
side. In the Tiszapolgar cul ture, men are buried in a 
crouched position on their right side and women on 
their left side. The position of the head is a similar case 
(Boriæ 2015 ). The direction in which the body was fac-
ing could possibly be in accordance with the direc-
tion in which the dead would have directed their gaze
(Stavreva 2022.12). For a long time it was thought that
the burial pattern at Vuèedol was similar (differen tia -
tion according to gender), i.e. that women were bu-
ried on the left side and men on the right, however, it
seems that this is not the case, as confirmed by the an -
thropological analysis of the deceased in Grave 5 in 
the following chapter. The po sition of the hands of 
this deceased individual is questionable. Due to the 
movement of the entire chest the bones of the arms are
dislocated, i.e. the right hand can be seen on the left 
side, while the left hand is dislocated towards the 
head. In Vuèedol graves, we notice various positions of
the hands (folded towards the face, folded on the face, 
separated on the chest or towards the side, separated 
in various positions, above the head), and no specific 
pattern can be observed. It should also be kept in mind
that the original position of the deceased can change 
as the body decomposes and the bones move, and an
important factor is the consistency of the soil and the
influence of weathering. The skeleton’s skull is rotated 
with its face towards the ground, so the facial bones 
are quite fragmented. On the frontal part of the skull, 
depressions-lesions were observed that resemble 
those from the skulls of the deceased male person 
from Grave 3 from the Vineyard Streim (V 85) from 
1985 (group grave of seven women and one man, the
so-called ‘Mars and Venus Grave’) (Durman 2000.41–
57). Unusual depressions were vi sible on their skulls,
which Durman explains as the dripping of incan des-
cent metal. The depressions were made during the life 
of the deceased, probably at an early age, and it was a 
sign that these eight people had been specially marked 
and sacrificed for some rea son (Durman 1988; 2000; 
Teschler-Nicola, Berner 1994). We can see such a cus-
tom on the skull in the double grave, Grave 3 from the 
Vineyard Streim (V 87) from 1990, and in the group 
grave, Grave 6 from the Cornfield Streim (V 17) from 

287
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
yard Streim, i.e. phase A of the Vu èedol culture (Dur-
man 1988.cat. no. 53; 1999.3, Fig. 1; 2000.62, Fig. 25;
2009.254–255). The appearance of smaller, un de co-
rated terinas is very unusual and we have such exam-
ples from the Sarvaš site near Osijek where they are 
de fined as cups (Rajkoviæ, Balen 2016.T. 34,204,206, 
207). The small terina (cup) from Grave 5, according 
to stratigraphic relations and ab solute dates, un doub -
 tedly belongs to the classic B1 phase. We are of the opi-
nion that older theories about the existence of phase 
A at the investigated positions on Vuèedol should be 
reconsidered. Another terina, of larger dimensions, 
with a straight line on the biconity and a specific tri an-
gular decoration, was located next to the feet of the 
deceased (Fig. 7.b, PN 3470, 3477, Pl. 1.1, cat. no. 1). It
should be noted that the triangular motif is quite well
represented as a decorative motif on items of the Vu-
èedol culture. It appears in many different combina ti-
ons: independently, in a row as a wreath, as a pattern 
that fills the frieze (Dimitrijeviæ 1956.25). Similar 
triangle motifs on other parts of the pots, in various 
orientations, independently or in a row are relatively 
represented on ceramic material from the Vineyard 
Streim, which is unpublished. How ever, for now we 
are not aware of the presence of such deco ra tion on 
terinas in a grave context, except on the hand les where 
the triangle motif is very often executed in the form of
an hourglass (clepsydra) (Dimitrijeviæ 1956.25). Dur -
man notes that terinas with a deco ration of a simple 
straight line on the biconity are si milar to the earli est
examples of such pots (phase A according to Dimitrije-
viæ), and he attributes to the same phase the pots that 
have geometric motifs above such a line. Durman also 
provides examples of two te rinas from the Vineyard 
Streim (from the floors of houses) that can be con nect -
ed with the example from Grave 5 in terms of shape 
and decoration on the bi conity, although their deco ra -
tion is somewhat simpler (Durman 1999.3–5, Figs. 
2,3; 2000.62, Figs. 26,27; 2009.254–255). The best pa-
rallel to this type of pot is the terina from Sarvaš, 
which has almost the same motifs of grouped con cen -
tric triangles in a row (Balen 2005.1 19, T. 33). Un for tu -
nately, we do not know the exact context of the disco -
very of this pot. However, Dimitrijeviæ uses the men -
tioned terina from Sarvaš in his chronology and dates
it to the B1 phase of the Vu èedol culture (Dimi trijeviæ 
1979.T. XXIX, 9). A terina with a horizontal strip above 
the biconity is located next to the chest of the deceased 
(Fig. 7.b, PN 3476, Pl. 1.3; cat. no. 3). Decorations with 
a ‘decorative strip’ consisting of al ternately placed 
two or more flowing ornaments se parated by empty 
rectangular fields are most often found on bowls and 
lies. In Grave 5, we find a generally small amount of 
items. There are mostly ceramic pots (four complete 
and three fragmented) placed by the head and central 
part of the body of the deceased (Fig. 7.b; Pl. 1–2, cat. 
no. 1–7). The most recognizable form of Vuèedol pot 
with a fine structure is the so-called te rina, a bowl with 
a convex top and biconical belly with a single handle. 
We find these in the context of re si dential, workshop, 
and burial objects. As a rule, they are decorated with 
geometric motifs made by a com bination of grooved 
incising, notching and in crus ta tion. The decoration is 
made on, above or below the biconity in the form of a 
line or strip. There are also examples of undecorated 
terinas, as well as terinas that are richly decorated 
above the biconity. The ap pearance of decorations un-
der the biconity is extre mely rare. Terina handles are 
almost always de corated (Dimitrijeviæ 1956.17; 1979. 
287; Durman 2000.60; Ba len 2005.44; Rajkoviæ, 
Balen 2016.78). Richly de corated terinas are known 
from Vuèedol graves, for example, the ‘Married Couple 
Grave’ from Vuèedol’s Gra dac or the terina from ‘Mars 
and Venus Grave’ (Grave 3, V 85) from Vineyard Streim 
from 1985, and the decorations on them contain some 
sym bolic mes sage (Schmidt 1945.41–45; Durman 
1988.48). In Grave 5, terina-type pots are dominant, 
one of which is smaller, miniature and placed next to 
the head of the deceased and has a strong symbolic 
role (Fig. 7.b; PN 3422, Pl. 2. 4, cat. no. 4). Miniature ce -
ramic pots in the form of glasses or cups and terinas 
that are found next to the deceased or in their hands 
speak of the sym bo lism of drinking containers in 
graves, which is an ex tre mely wide phenomenon in 
European prehistory, as well as in cultures that pre-
cede Vuèedol, and they in di cate the stratification of so-
ciety and the leading class, typically men in the Vuèe-
dol culture, who were buried with drinking pots (Trig-
ger 1995; Miliæeviæ-Bradaè 2001). Drinking sets made 
it possible to con sume a specific substance – alcohol. 
Alcohol is an im portant ritual and social phenomenon, 
the production and joint consumption of which is a 
significant ele ment in establishing social relations in 
the community. It also becomes a symbol of a certain 
social status, and is used during religious rites or ri-
tuals, and in the Eneolithic it was possible to consume 
beer, fruit wine, mead or spirits (Krištuf 2005.72–73; 
Toth 2019). We find a direct analogy for this smaller 
terina (cup?) in Grave 1 (V 84), the so-called ‘Orion 
Grave’from 1984, where the deceased was found in a 
very unusual position with his hands above his head 
touching a te rina-type pot, of smaller dimensions and 
without decorations. Grave 1 from 1984 is dated to the 
earliest phase of the Vuèedol set tlement at the Vine-

288
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
1979.290). Miloglav singles out S-profiled pots as the 
most represented form of the group of pots, and es pe -
cially pots with a cylindrical neck (Miloglav 2012). We
have analogies for these findings from Vuèedol, Vin -
kovci and Sarvaš (Schmidt 1945; Dimitrijeviæ 1979. 
290–293; Durman 1988; Balen 2005.40; Miloglav 
2012; Rajkoviæ, Balen 2016.76–77). Coarse pottery is
also found in Graves 3 and 4 from Gradac from 1938 
(Schmidt 1945.T. 32.1, 3, 4).
Of the other ceramic items in Grave 5, we find three 
types of spindle whorls, conical, round and discoid 
type (Pl. 3.8–10, cat. no. 8–10), as textile tools in the 
pro cess of a textile spinning technology. Ceramic loom
weights and spindle whorls often appear in a Neo li thic
context throughout Europe, while in the Late Eneo li-
thic period loom weights are very rare and differ in 
form from earlier and later examples (Grabundžija 
2016; 2018). At the Vuèedol site spin dle whorls out-
num ber loom weights and the lack of weights is noti -
ceable in other Eneolithic sites. Loom weights could 
be lacking in archaeological contexts due to the peri -
shable materials used for their pro duction. Additio-
nally, according to some authors more unconventional 
forms such as spools might have also been applied to 
provide the necessary ten sion for warp threads (Gra -
bundžija 2018.272). In the prehistory of Europe, start-
ing from the Neolithic period (Barber 1991.91–100), 
vertical looms on which the threads are stretched using
weights, usually ce ra mic, are considered a cha racte ris-
tic type of loom. The question of the techno lo gical so -
lution for weaving in the late Eneolithic period, at
the time of the Vuèedol culture, is still open due to the
absence of direct and unequivocal material evi dence
of the weaving technique. The particular issue of re -
cognizing textile tools, which often have a multi func-
tional character, is addressed in experimental research 
(Grabundžija et al. 2016). Similar types of whorls as in 
Vuèedol site are present in Eneolithic sites throughout 
continental Croatia (Grabundžija 2018. 264–265, Fig. 
1). We also find them in graves of the Baden culture 
together with other finds such as pot tery, stone and 
bone tools and the like (Nìmejcová-Pavúková 1979; 
Hor váth 2017; Toth 2019). At Vuèedol, they appear in 
the context of residential objects and speak of a highly 
developed weaving craft, while we have no records of
them in the published graves (Ka ravidoviæ 2021). The
sym bolism associated with the burial of whorls in 
graves is complex and appears to be associated with 
individuals and their relatives. It was once thought 
that the whorls were only buried in women’s graves, 
but this theory has been rejected. The fact that they 
terinas (Dimitrijeviæ 1956.26). Various zigzag motifs 
and then chain, wavy, double toothed, and mesh pat-
terns and other motifs can be found within these strips 
(Dimitrijeviæ 1956.26). Border decorations are most 
of ten placed under the edge of the opening of the pot,
where the needle motif dominates, followed by drip-
shaped and harpoon (her ringbone), zigzag lines and 
wavy lines are also com mon. Sometimes, only the mo-
tif of slashes or a se ries of stabbing motifs was used for
this purpose (Dimi trijeviæ 1956.27). Examples of bi co-
nical terinas with a decorative strip and a decorated 
handle are extremely numerous in all sites of the Vu-
èedol culture. We can thus find parallels in Vuèedol it-
self (Gradac, Vineyard and Cornfield Streim) (Schmidt 
1945; Dur man 1988; 1999; 2000; Roksandiæ Vukadin 
2021), Sarvaš (Balen 2005.2; Rajkoviæ, Balen 2016.
77–78) and Vinkovci (Durman 2000). A terina of this 
type, rich ly decorated, was included in group Grave 3
(V 85) from Vineyard Streim from 1985 (Durman 
2000.50). In Graves 3 and 4 (‘Married Couple Grave’) 
from Gra dac from 1938, a richly decorated terina was 
found turned upside down and placed over a woman’s 
head (Schmidt 1945.T.36), which Dimitrijeviæ dates 
to the B1 phase (Dimitrijeviæ 1979.T. XXIX.1). Closer 
ana logies to the terina from Grave 5 can be found in
the same grave, i.e. two terinas with the same deco ra-
tion (Schmidt 1945.T. 38.1, 2). A shallow, decorated 
bi conical bowl with handles was found at the feet of 
the deceased in Grave 5 (Fig. 7, PN 3471, Pl. 1.2, cat. no. 
2). This type of pot and those like it are one of the most 
re presented types in the Vuèe dol culture. Parallels to 
it can be found at Vuèedol (Schmidt 1945; Roksandiæ 
Vukadin 2021), Sarvaš (Balen 2005.42; Rajkoviæ, 
Balen 2016.77–78) and Vinkovci (Durman 1988; Mi  -
loglav 2012). According to the typology proposed by
Ina Miloglav, it belongs to the A4 c type (Miloglav 
2012). Other examples of pottery in the grave belong 
to coarse kitchenware of the pot type with tunnel-
shaped handles, and are found next to the deceased 
(Pl. 2.5–7; cat. no. 5–7). Pots with tunnel-shaped hand-
les under the neck (smal ler amphorae) are a typical in -
ventory among coarse kitchenware for everyday use. 
Such pots are often decorated in two rows, along the 
rim of the pot and at the transition of the neck to the 
body of the pot, often made with applied strips with 
fingerprints and less often, as in this case, by stabbing. 
The neck is very often more or less polished, and the 
belly is co vered with barbotine. All these elements 
speak of an extended Neolithic tradition (Dimitrijeviæ 
1979.290–293). A significant number of coarse kit -
chenware is undeco rat ed and a relatively rough surface 
is left, with  out secon dary interventions (Dimitrijeviæ 

289
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
Saller (1957), osteological mea surement was per -
formed with a standard set of anthropological instru-
ments GPM – Sieber Hegner.
Sex determination is performed according to the ap-
pearance of the greater sciatic notch of the ilium and 
according to the sexual sign expression of the man di -
ble: corpus mandibulae, trigonum mentale, and 
angulus mandibulae (Buikstra, Ubelaker 1994). Age 
determination is carried out according to maximum 
diaphysis lengths of humeral, radial, femoral and tibial 
bones, by measurements of the scapula and hip bone, 
and by the closure of epiphyseal lines (Black, Scheuer 
1966; Stloukal, Hanakova 1978; Saunders 1993; 
Cunningham et al. 2016) together with the dental sta  -
tus analysis of both mandibular and maxillary teeth 
(Buikstra, Ubelaker 1994; Schaefer et al. 2009). Pa-
tho logical changes were registered morphologically 
and morphometrically (Ortner 2003; Aufderheide, 
Rodrigez-Martin 2011). The development of ulnar 
muscle attachments of person B, an adult male, was 
analysed.
Results
The osteological remains of two persons, an adolescent 
(person A) and an adult male (person B), were found 
in the grave. The skeleton of person A is almost com-
ple tely preserved (Fig. 8), while only the left ulna of 
person B is preserved.
Person A
Sex: male; age at death: 14–15 years ± 30 months; pa-
thological changes: cribra orbitalia second and third 
degree.
The bones of the skull are almost completely pre serv-
ed. The described damage was caused post mor tem, af -
ter the discovery of the grave. The frontal bone is com-
pletely preserved with open coronal suture. The up per
surface of both orbits are thickened, with dense po ro-
sity. The surface of the left orbit is cribrotic (second 
degree), while changes on the right orbit are tra be cu-
lar (third degree) (Fig. 9).
The skull’s bones are almost com pletely preserved. 
The damage described occurred postmortem after 
the grave was discovered. The frontal bone is com ple -
 tely preserved with an open coronal suture. The upper
surface of both orbits is thickened with dense poro sity. 
The surface of the left orbit is cribrotic (se cond de -
gree), while changes on the right orbit are tra becu lar
(third degree). On the median plane of the frontal 
bone, 45mm from sutura coronalis, a slightly oval 
were placed next to the deceased in a similar way to 
other items suggests that they are probably a part of 
the social iden tity of the deceased. It is possible that
they were owned by the deceased or were passed down 
through generations within a family group (Douglas,
Muti 2019). Along with the deceased in Grave 5, there 
were two other tools that could pos sibly be tied to
weaving, a tool made of antler (Pl. 3.12, cat. no. 12) 
and a piece of (whetstone) stone (Pl. 3.11, cat. no. 
11). The tool made of deer antler would fall under the 
group of pointed tools, and can be categorized as an 
awl made of antler or more likely as a piercing tool be -
cause it has a stronger, more resistant working tip (Vi-
 tezoviæ 2010.284). It shows careful crafts man ship 
with its square-shaped base that serves as a han dle 
attachment, and the entire surface of the tool is po li -
shed. The top is damaged, which indicates that the 
object was used before being placed in the grave. It is 
known that an exceptional amount of tools made of 
deer antlers appeared during the time of the Vuèedol 
culture. There are numerous massive tools, while small
tools like this one from Grave 5 are less common (Mi-
troviæ, Vitezoviæ 2017.187–88; Vitezoviæ 2018.178–81; 
2022; Bošnjak et al. 2020). The stone tool (Pl. 3.11, cat.
no. 11) is a square-shaped whetstone with traces of use 
and damage before the burial. Both of these tools with 
the three loom whorls may be a toolkit that was used 
or passed down within the family of the deceased, and 
they speak of a certain social status and particular 
iden  tity in the community, in this case of textile ma nu -
facturers or weavers.
Anthropological analysis of human bone re-
mains
Material and methods
The osteological human remains originate from trench 
V 17, Cornfield Streim, Grave 5 that was analysed dur- 
ing the autumn of 2019 (V 17, SJ 689, Grave 5, PN 3457).
The material was stabilized, cleaned, re constructed 
and analysed on the premises of the Fo rensic Science 
Office of the University of Zagreb.
Although fragmented, the bones of the skull and lower 
jaw, as well as most of the postcranial osteological ele  -
ments, have been well preserved, allowing the de  ter -
  mination of the sex and age at the time of death. Me-
thods of analysing human bone remains include ma-
cromorphological and morphometric approaches. Ba -
sic dental analysis is limited to the dental status, pos-
si ble pathology, and determination of macro mor pho -
logical features. According to Rudolf Mar tin and Karl 

290
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
skull, is preserved. Stronger porosity is recorded on
the posterior parts of the parietal bone, towards the
sagittal and lambdoid sutures, and close to the pro xi -
mal parts of the occipital bone. Both tem poral bones 
are partially pre served in a part of the squama tem po-
ralis, but the other parts are fully preserved: the mas-
toid process, tympanic, and petrous parts of the bone. 
Of the cervical vertebrae, a series from the atlas to the 
fifth vertebra, which is preserved in half of the body 
and arch, and the se venth ver te bra, whose arch is par-
tially pre  served, have been preserved. On the dens axis
of the second cervical vertebra, which has bro ken off
from the body, a slight epiphyseal line is visible at the 
point where the tip, the apex dentis, meets the rest of the
tooth. All the damage to the ver tebrae occurred post mor -
tem, and the fresh edges of the fractures are visible.
The thoracic vertebrae are preserved in rows from
the first to the fifth and from the seventh to the 
twelfth, but from the twelfth on only the vertebral arch 
is pre served. The lumbar vertebrae are preserved in 
the entire row, from the first to the fifth, and the third 
is da maged on the la teral right edge of the body and 
arch of the ver tebra. The first sac-
ral vertebra is partially preserv-
ed, and the distal part of the body
shows an unfused joint of the 
first and se cond sacral ver tebrae. 
In the row from the second to the
fifth sacral ver tebrae only the bo -
 dies are preserv ed, which are not
fused, and the last two bear half
of the medial sacral crest. The left
ribs are preserved in a row from
the first to the twelfth ribs, the
fourth and tenth ribs are pre ser -
ved in the proximal half, the fifth
rib in the proximal two-thirds, 
the proximal and distal third of
the eighth rib is preserved, the
proximal fragment of the ele ven- 
bony depression measuring 6x6.7x1.3mm is observed. 
Another depression is located laterally and to the right 
of the first, measuring 11x10x0.6mm. Both are almost 
level (Fig. 10).
Both parietal bones have been preserved, the left al-
most entirely and the right mostly. The sagittal su ture 
is completely open. A shallow, oval, bony de pression 
with thickened edges is observed on the right parietal 
bone, measuring 7.5x5.33x1mm. It is located 57.63mm 
from the coronal suture, and 33.35mm from the sa git -
tal suture (Fig. 10). Another shallow, irregularly elon-
gated depression with a rough surface measures 14x 
8mm and is located 24mm from the previous one and 
52.3mm from the sagittal suture. This last one differs 
in appearance and depth from the three depressions 
de scribed earlier. The occipital bone is partially pre-
served, mostly along the lambdoid suture located by
the left parietal bone and less so along the right parie -
tal bone. More distally, the internal occipital protu be-
rance with the cruciform eminence, i.e. the muscle at -
tachments of the nuchal region on the outside of the 
Fig. 9. Cribra orbitalia third degree, right orbitae, detail (person A) (author 
Z. Hincak Daris).
Fig. 8. Skeleton of person A in anatomical position (author Z. Hincak Daris).

291
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
the left arm are completely pre served, the diaphysis 
and parts of the proximal and distal epiphysis are not 
fused. The humeral diaphysis is completely preserved 
with measurements maximum diaphysal length = 
(229mm).The left radial bone is completely preserved, 
and mea sures: maximum dia physal length = 181mm. 
Age at the time of death of person A, based on the ma -
ximum diaphysal length, is 14 years according to Stlou-
kal and Hanakova’s mea su rement table. The left ulnar 
bone is completely preserv ed, and the maximum dia-
physal length = 204mm. From the group of carpal bo-
nes, the scaphoid bone, capi tate bone and trapezoid 
bone are preserved. Metacarpal bones are preserved 
in a row: II–V, on all spe cimens, the distal epiphysis is 
fused, and the proximal one is not completely fused. 
Phalanges of the hand – proximal row: II, III, medial 
row: II. In terms of the right arm, the diaphyses are 
completely preserved and in terms of the epiphyses, 
the proximal epiphysis – head of radius – is preserved.
• Humerus, maximum diaphysal length = 235mm
• Age at the time of death of person A, based on the 
ma   ximum diaphysal length, is 12–13 years according 
to Stloukal and Hanakova’s measurement table.
• Radius, maximum diaphysal length = 182mm
• Age at the time of death of person A, based on the 
ma  ximum diaphysal length, is 12 – 13 years according 
to Stloukal and Hanakova’s measurement table.
• Ulna, maximum diaphysal length = 303mm
• Among the right carpal bones, the scaphoid and lu-
nate bones are preserved, and among the metacarpal 
bones II and IV and from hand phalanges – proximal 
row I. 
• Hip bones
• Male sex is determined by a narrow, ‘U-’shaped 
greater sciatic notch, the scoring of which is +1, arcus 
compose is not developed. 
• Left hip bone
• The iliac bone is completely preserved, and the ma-
ximum iliac length = (101.3mm), maximum iliac width 
= 98.2mm.
• Ischial bone is completely preserved, and the ma-
ximum ischium length = 70mm, maximum ischium 
width = 48.2mm.
• The pubic bone is partially preserved in the ace ta-
bulum and the superior pubic ramus.
• The right hip bone
• The iliac bone is completely preserved, and the ma-
ximum iliac length = 101.2mm, maximum iliac width =
98mm.
• The ischial bone is completely preserved, and the
maximum ischium length = 67.4mm, maximum is chi-
um width = 48mm. 
th and another shorter fragment are pre served, while 
the proximal three-quarters of the twelfth rib are pre-
served. Three shorter fragments of the rib body were 
isolated, for which the side they belonged to could be 
determined. The right ribs are preserved in full se-
quence, from the first to the twelfth ribs. The se cond 
rib is preserved in the proximal third, while the twelfth 
is preserved in the distal three quarters of the rib body. 
The sternum is partially preserved. The manubrium, as
a proximal part of the sternal bone, is preserved in full,
while only two divided seg  ments of the body or middle 
mesosternum were preserved, first and second as in-
dividual, nonfused juvenile sternebrae. Both clavicles 
are completely pre served, sternal and acromial or mid-
dle end have an open diaphysal surface. The age at the 
time of death of person A, ac cording to the clavicle 
measures, is in the age range of 12–13 years according 
to the table of measurements of the longest lengths of
the clavicle in the infans II and juvenile phases, accord-
ing to Black and Scheuer. Measurements: clavicle; left
clavicle, maximum length = 114.7mm, right clavicle, 
ma ximum length = (111.2 mm). The right scapula is
completely preserved, while the left one is preserved 
partially in the glenoid cavity and partly in the body,
mostly in the lateral bor der. According to measu re-
ments of scapular width and sca pular length, age at 
the time of death of person A was in the range of 9–10 
years, according to the values of measurements 6 and 
5, according to Saunders’ table. Measurements: right 
scapula: length of glenoidal sur face = 20.7mm, middle 
diameter of the glenoidal sur face = 1 5.6mm, length of 
glenoidal mass = 26.7mm, spine length = 91.8mm, sca-
pular width = 75mm, sca pular length = (101.4mm), 
infra-sca  pular height = 83.3 mm. The long bones of 
Fig. 10. Norma verticalis: shallow depressions on 
the frontal and right parietal bone are indicated by 
black arrows (author Z. Hincak Daris).

292
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
PM1, PM2, M1, M2 and M3, which is visible in the semi-
closed alveolus (Tab. 2). Right side of the mandible: 
I1–I2 postmortem empty alveolus, C, PM1 fully closed 
alveolus, PM2 postmortem empty alveolus, M1, M2, 
while M3 is observed in half-open alveolus (Tab. 2). 
The maxilla is preserved only in a very small part of
the body of the right maxilla and the dental row: M
1
–
M
3
. The other teeth of the maxilla are outside the al-
veoli: left – I
1
, C, P
1
, P
2
, M
2 
and M
3
 and right – P
1
, M
1
,
M
2
 and M
3
 
(Tab. 2). A thin ring of calcified tartar, den-
tal calculus, is visible on the teeth.
The age at death of a person A is determined according 
to the dental status as presented by Ubelaker. Surface 
wear of all M1 upper and lower jaws indicates ab ra-
sion, unusual for such a young age, with a lower level 
of bone at the cemento-enamel junction. Approximal 
caries of the first degree are located at the contact of 
M1 and M2 of the right side of the mandible and M1 
and M2 of the right maxilla. Horizontal caries of the 
second degree are visible on the buccal side of the 
right half of the mandible, on the M1 and M2 crowns, 
along the edge of the tooth neck. Outside the alveoli 
are P
1
 and P
2
 of the left maxilla, and at their contact, 
on the crowns of both teeth, approximate caries of the 
first degree are visible. Diagnosis: caries of the first 
and second degree.
Two transverse lines and tiny pits are visible on the an-
terior surfaces of the preserved canines and the first 
incisor of the left upper jaw (Fig. 11). Measurements 
were taken on the upper left canine, according to Reid: 
crown height = 10.6mm, height of the first transverse 
line = 5.4mm, height of the second transverse line = 
8mm. Diagnosis: linear enamel hypoplasia. According 
to measurements, the timing of linear enamel hypo pla-
sia on the crowns of the teeth during growth was 4–4.5 
years (the first transversal line) and 5–5.5 years (the 
second transversal line), according to Reid’s method.
• The pubic bone is completely preserved, and the ma-
ximum pubic length = 87.2mm.
Out of the right leg bones, the diaphysis of the femur, 
the unfused head of the femur and the free, unfused 
distal epiphysis are almost completely preserved. 
The trace of a fresh fracture is visible on the anterior 
surface with a length of 7.6mm in the most distal part 
of the diaphysis (postmortem). On the proximal part, 
diaphysis of the tibia is almost completely preserved. 
On the distal third of the bone, on the facies la te ralis,
 the trace of a more regular fresh fracture (post  mor-
tem) is visible, measuring 97mm in length and 7mm 
in width. A triangular fracture measuring 32.4mm 
in length and 26.7mm in width is visible on the me-
dial surface. The distal half of the diaphysis and the 
proximal quarter of the leaf bone are preserved. The
fractures visible on the diaphyses are fresh, post mor -
tem fractures. The patellar bone is completely preserv-
ed. The right tibial bone is completely pre served, and 
the maximum diaphysal length = 279.8mm. The age at 
the time of death of person A, based on the maximum 
diaphysal length of right tibia, is about 14 years, ac-
cording to Stloukal and Hanakova’s measurement 
table. The right fibular bone is preserved in the proxi -
mal and distal third of the diaphysis. From the right ta-
lar bones, the navicular bone, intermediate cuneiform 
bone and medial cuneiform bone are pre served. From
the left leg bones, the diaphysis of the femur, the com-
pletely unfused head of the femur, the distal epiphysis, 
almost the entire diaphysis of the ti bia, the proximal 
epiphysis, and the entire diaphysis of the metatarsal 
bone are preserved. The femoral bone is completely 
pre served, and the maximum dia physal length = 343 
mm. The age at the time of death of person A, based on
the maximum diaphysal length, is about 14 years, ac -
cording to Stloukal and Ha nakova’s measurement 
table. The tibial bone is completely preserved, and the
maximum diaphysal length = 280mm. The age at the 
time of death of per son A, based on the maximum dia-
physal length, is about 14 years, according to Stloukal 
and Hanakova’s measurement table. The fibular bone
is completely pre served, and the maximum diaphysal 
length = 268mm. The first metatarsal bone is pre-
served.
Dental analysis
Sex: male; age at the time of death: 15 years ± 30 mo-
nths.
The mandible is completely preserved. Left side of 
the mandible: I1–I2 (postmortem empty alveolus), C, 
Tab. 2. Dental status of person A, mandibula (Grave 
5) (author Z. Hincak Daris).
 upper right    upper left
    M
3
, M
2
, M
1
, P
2
, P
1
, C, I
2
, I
1       
I
1
, I
2
, C, P
1
, P
2
, M
1
, M
2
, M
3
    M 3
, M 2
, M 1
 
,P
2
 ,P
1
, C ,I
2
 ,I
1
       
I
1
, I
2
, C, P 1
, P 2
, M 1
, M 2
, M 3
 lower right    lower left
Legend: black – tooth in dental alveolus, red – tooth out of
den tal alveolus, blue – empty dental alveolus (postmor­
tem), green – resorption of dental alveolus, orange – tooth 
and dental alve o lus are missing.

293
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
Discussion
Grave 5 at the Vuèedol site is located in the Vukovar 
loess plateau of eastern Croatia, in a loess of a very po -
 rous and slightly alkaline thick sedimentary deposit 
(Bognar 1976). The Danube wears away and erodes 
the west side of loess-palaeosol horizons, leaving cliffs 
up to 20m high, with a clear stratification (Galoviæ et 
al. 2008). The altitude of the site and the elevated po-
sition of the plateau does not presuppose seasonal 
flooding of the terrain, but heavy rains and changes in 
seasons, along with the action of permeable and easily 
mobile loess sediment, can have a significant impact 
on the situation in the grave. Even after the early stage 
of decomposition, bones became detached from the 
skeleton, and the disintegration of the soft tissues of 
the body led to the movement of certain osteological 
elements of the skeleton of person A, when the loose 
sediment filled the gaps created by the disintegration 
and ‘pushed’ the osteological elements in the spacious 
burial pit. The position of the skull of person A is par-
ticularly interesting, as it had been turned upside 
down, while the lower jaw had sunk below the left 
cheekbone. The head movement occurred while the 
lower jaw was still attached to the skull. The bottom of 
the grave is slightly sloping, and the person’s head was
placed on the side and in an elevated place, and after 
the skull connection was broken – i.e. the atlas (first 
cervical vertebra) – it ended up in the described po-
sition.
Pathological changes were found on the bones of the 
skull and on the teeth. Trabecular cribra orbitalia, or 
third degree cribra orbitalia, is observed on the upper 
orbital surfaces, in this case as a thick and spongy bone.
Hermann Welcker (1888) describes this pathologi -
cal change on the superio-lateral surface of the orbitae 
for the first time. The cause of this development is
still be ing debated, with reasons for it being attri but -
ed to malnutrition, scurvy, gastrointestinal bleeding 
and iron deficiency anaemia (Ortner 2003; Wal ker 
et al. 2009; Aufderheide, Rodrigez-Martin 2011;
Mann, Hunt 2012; Viva et al. 2021). In the bioarcha-
eological context, the hypothesis of the origin of cri bra 
orbitalia as a consequence of iron deficiency anaemia 
is accepted and still used as an explanation even today, 
and is also described as a fea ture that is exclusive to 
childhood. However, the literature de scribes cases of 
cribra orbitalia not only in children and very young 
people, but also in the eld erly (Hens et al. 2019). New-
er research reveals the con nection between the oc-
cur rence of cribra orbitalia and frequent respiratory 
infections, which are today a lead ing cause of mortality 
Person B
In the grave, but far from the adolescent’s skeleton, 
there was an almost completely preserved left ulna of 
an adult. Sex: male; age at the time of death: 40–50 
years.
The male sex of a person is determined according to 
the robustness of the bones and the expression of the 
muscle attachments. A strongly developed attachment 
of the brachialis muscle (m. brachialis) can be ob serv-
ed. The flexor digitorum profundus muscle is pro-
nounced. The development of the attachment of the 
supinator muscle (m. supinator) is pronounced and 
accompanied by the development of the supinator 
crest, as well as the pronator quadratus muscle (m. 
pronator quadratus). A short, oval olecranon spur 
(calcar olecrani) was developed on the superior and 
posterior surfaces of the olecranon. An age in the wide
range of 40–50 years was determined according to the 
degree of osteoarthritic changes on the edges of the 
articular surfaces of the proximal epiphysis of the left 
ulna. An oblique section is visible on the distal sixth 
of the diaphysis as a result of sharp force trauma or 
more precisely due to the action of a sharp object on 
the surface of the bone, on the edge between the ante-
rior and posterior surfaces measuring 12x3mm. It re-
presents a trace of a bone cut that does not exceed half 
a millimetre in thickness. Distal damage caused by the 
action of a sharp object expands into a sharp-edged 
trauma in the shape of an inverted letter ‘U’, which 
measures 24.6x9.2mm. According to the appearance 
and features of the incisions, the trauma is perimortal, 
and thus occurred around the time of the person’s 
death.
Fig. 11. Linear enamel hypoplasia (arrows), canine 
tooth, left half of mandibula (author Z. Hincak Da-
ris).

294
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
mel linear hypoplasia (Fig. 11) point to non spe ci -
fic indicators of metabolic stress during early child-
hood. Skeletal maturation is also not free from envi -
ronmental influences related to food source availabi-
lity or food quality, nor from health status and di sease, 
such as the possible presence of pa rasites in the diet. 
Moreover, cultural practice in fluencing the length of 
breastfeeding and weaning could have played a major 
role in the creation of pa tho logical markers such as 
cribra orbitalia and linear enamel hypoplasia. Studies 
of dental development and skeletal growth indicate
that dental development is less sensitive to socioecono -
mic factors than ske le  tal development (Co neição, Car-
doso 2011 ), but hereditary, ecological, nu tritional and 
hormonal fac tors also play a major role (Goodman, 
Armelagos 1989; De Souza Araujo 2011).
The three regular bone depressions on the bones of 
the head are very shallow and their traces are not visi -
ble on the endocranium (Fig. 10). We could call them 
lesions, although based on the characteristics it is not 
possible to accurately conclude how they formed. Simi-
lar lesions were described on the skull bones from the 
burial pit of the Vuèedol culture at the Vinograd Streim 
site from 1985 (Grave 3) (Hincak et al. 2013). In both 
cases it is only possible to establish that they are of un-
known aetiology. The fourth de pression, which, due to 
its irregular shape and very small depth and irregular 
surface, differs from the ones described earlier, pro ba-
bly represents a trace of a healed, shallow lesion as a 
re sult of an injury.
The development of the muscle attachment of the left 
ulna of person B reveals the ’individual’s frequently re-
peated movements. Strongly developed muscle at-
tachment of the brachialis muscle indicates flexion 
movements of the forearm at the elbow. The deep 
flexor muscle of a hand is prominent and indicates a 
firm holding of an object in the hand. The strong deve-
 lopment of the muscle attachment of the su pi na tor
muscle and the pronounced supinator crest is res pon -
sible for the lateral rotation of the hand, and the strong
grip of its antagonist, the pronator quadratus muscle,
enables the medial rotation of the hand. The develop-
ment of these muscles is common in people who work
with metal (Angel et al. 1987) or pick fruits (Wienken, 
Wood 1988). On the basis of only one bone, it is pos si-
ble to conclude only how well developed the muscles 
of the ulna are, with a special emphasis on the move-
ments of turning the hand while the arms are out-
stretched, perhaps as a part of the specific work the 
person was engaged in. This includes movements that
(O’Donell et al. 2021), or the determination of cribra 
orbitalia as vascular in nature, and bony evidence of 
vascular anatomical va  riation (Rothschild et al. 2021). 
Although scientists have been investigating this patho-
logical change for about a hundred years, it seems that 
the aetiology of cribra orbitalia still remains unclear. 
Linear enamel hypoplasia is a disorder that occurs in
the early, em bry onic phase of tooth development, as
a result of stopping the appo sition of hard dental tis-
sues (Šutalo et al. 1994). A number of pathological 
conditions are usually cited as the cause – severe infec-
tions, a lack of vitamins A and C and the deficiency of
prenatal vi  tamin D, cal cium deficiency, scarlet fever 
and gas trointestinal diseases in children (Mante gaz za 
2016; Reed et al. 2016; O’ Donell et al. 2020; Wang et al.
2024). However, since cribra orbitalia and linear ena-
mel hypoplasia are only se condary indicators of the 
disease, it is impos sible to determine more pre ci sely 
the cause of their development.
The appearance of enamel hypoplasia certainly in crea-
ses the risk of dental caries. Perhaps this, but also the
general health status of person A, is the cause of the 
large number of established caries lesions in the teeth
of a very young person and the generally poor den  tal
condition of the jaw. Earlier investigations of the den-
tal status of skeletons of the Vuèedol culture from the 
Vuèedol site did not indicate a poor dental status of in-
dividuals, and it was even established that, despite the 
advanced age of maturus II, no pa tho lo gical changes in 
the teeth were found (Hincak et al. 2013).
It is not uncommon for skeletons of children and ado-
lescents to be found in graves from different ar cha eo -
logical periods, which, according to the results of den -
tal analyses, show a higher age range than the results
of analyses of the bone remains of the same person. 
According to dental analyses, the age at the time of 
death of person A was in the range of 15 years ± 30 
months, while according to the results of osteometric 
analyses of the bones of the skeleton, that range is low-
er, mostly around 11–14 years. It should be mentioned 
that the results of osteometric analyses for the scapula 
bone were compared with the results for modern po-
pulations as per Saunders, and that is a possible reason 
for the low result for the age (9–10 years). Another pos -
sible explanation of such discrepancies for other osteo -
logical elements (range of 11–14 years) lies in the fact
that skeletal maturation and growth are not free from
environmental in flu en ces, nor from the influence of
the individual’s health status. Pathological markers 
such as third grade cribra orbitalia (Fig. 9) and ena-

295
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
phalanx of the third or fourth finger of an adult animal
is preserved. Three femur heads have been preserved, 
two left ones and one right one that belonged to adult 
animals, which were cut diagonally from the neck of 
the femur to the edge of the femur head with a sharp 
object. The incision is oval, starting caudally on the epi -
 physeal line between the head and the rest of the 
proximal epiphysis obliquely towards the caudal sur -
face of the bone. The third head of the femur is pre-
served in the unfused part of the proximal epiphysis 
of a young animal up to 2.5 years old, along with a 
shorter fragment of the neck. Two damaged condyles 
of the distal epiphysis and four fragments of the dia-
physis have been preserved. The proximal left third 
of the tibia of an adult animal is preserved. The frac -
ture marks on the distal part of the sample are fresh
and postmortem. The left half of the tibia is preserved 
with par tially open epiphyseal lines on the proximal 
epiphysis, as a result of which the age at the time of
death of the animal was estimated to be appro xi mate -
tely three years. The longitudinal half of the left meta-
tarsal bone is preserved. The left calcaneal bone with 
partially pre served tuber is preserved, as are two mid-
dle pha langes.
Red deer (Cervus elaphus, L.)
The distal third of the right hu meral bone has been 
preserved, with clear traces of cutting off the proximal 
part of the bone with a sharp object, just as it was in an 
already described humerus bones of a cattle. The edges 
of the trauma are sharp and the surface is smooth. 
According to the macromorphological features, the 
trauma is perimortal.
Small ruminants, sheep/goat (Ovis aries, L., Capra 
hircus, L.)
The right side of the mandible of an adult small ru mi-
nant is pre served, with a preserved P2–M3 dental row.
Small ruminants sheep/goat (Ovis aries, L., Capra 
hircus, L.)
The right side of the mandible of an adult animal with
a P3–M3 dental row is fully preserved. The body and par-
tially the ramus of the left side of the man dible with a
dental row of dp2, dp3,  dp4, and M1 is preserved. The 
age at the time of death of an individual was around 
three mo nths (Fig. 12.c). Two left ribs have been pre -
served, the body of one and almost the whole of the 
other, both from a younger animal. Theright scapular 
bone of an adult individual is preserved. On the caudal
border, three shorter incisions measuring around 4
mm are visible. Tiny traces of te eth are also visible on
lead to enthesopathy, oval and short olecranon spur 
(calcar olecrani) on the posterior surface of the ole-
cranon as a result of stress, repetitive forceful fle xion-
extension movements. Such movements in the elbow 
describe a large number of phy sically demanding ac-
tivities, such as those of a woodcutter (Galera, Gar ral-
da 1993) or fisherman, who casts a heavy net many 
times a day (Dutour 1986). But in order to conclude 
anything about the physical activities of a person, it 
is necessary to study the muscle attachments on the 
skeleton, and not on an isolated bone.
Animal osteological remains of Grave 5
Material and methods
Methods of animal osteological analysis include macro  -
morphological analyses of mammal and fish remains 
(Schmidt 1972; Nickel et al. 1995; Radu 2005; König 
2009; France 2010).
Results
Sample U 837
Cattle (Bos taurus, L.)
Six short fragments of cranial bones have been pre-
served. A short body fragment of the right half of the
mandible of an adult animal with the dental row from 
P2 to P4 has been preserved. The thoracic and lumbar 
vertebra have been preserved. The body is preserved
in its entirety, and the arch is partially pre served, as 
well as another fragment of the arch of the lumbar and 
cervical vertebra. The first and se cond left ribs and 
three shorter fragments of the rib body are partially 
preserved. The distal half of the left humerus is pre-
served, with an obvious cut mark of a sharp object on
the distal third of the diaphysis. The edges of the trau-
ma are sharp, the cut surface is flat. The distal third of 
the right humerus bone has been preserved with the 
same, already described cut mark of a sharp object, 
which starts on the caudal side of the diaphysis and 
descends cranially about 40mm towards the distal 
epiphysis (Fig. 12.a). The distal epiphysis is preserved 
with a short part of the diaphysis, on which an irregu-
lar cut mark of the proximal part of the bone is visible.
According to the macromorphological cha racteristics, 
the trauma is of a perimortal nature. The proximal 
third of the right ulnar bone is preserved. A well-deve-
loped left ulnar bone with partially pre served olecra-
non in the distal part is preserved. The longitudinal 
strip of the diaphysis and lateral part of the left fourth
metacarpal bone and the distal third of the fourth
 
metacarpal bone have been preserved. The medial 

296
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
Ruminants (Ruminantia)
A bone fragment of the base of the skull, two rib frag-
ments, three diaphysis bone fragments and a fragment 
of the vertebral body of large ruminants have been 
preserved.
Small ruminants: sheep/goat (Ovis aries, L., Capra 
hircus, L.)
Three fragments of the rib body and four fragments of
the diaphysis of long bones have been preserved.
Sample PN 3449
Ruminants (Ruminantia)
A fragment of the arch of the cervical vertebra and two 
fragments of the rib body of a large ruminant have 
been preserved.
Small ruminants: sheep/goat (Ovis aries, L., Capra 
hircus, L.)
The acetabulum and ischial bone have been preserved 
partially and the ilium of the left hip bone has been 
completely preserved. The body of the mandible and 
a fragment of the body of the rib are preserved in a 
short strip.
Sample PN 3450
Cattle (Bos taurus, L.)
A molar of the upper jaw of an adult bovine, a part of 
the arch of the thoracic vertebra, a fragment of the 
the lateral surface of the bone, in
seven positions (Fig. 12.d). The
dorsal edge is partially de stroy ed.
The right scapula of a young ani-
mal, no older than six months, is
preserved, and the dorsal part of 
the body is partially preserved. 
The head and a part of the neck
of the right humerus are comple-
 tely preserved and the epiphy-
seal line between the head and 
the neck of the bone is clearly vi-
sible. Age at the time of death of 
the individual was less than three 
years. The left metacarpal bone is 
preserved in the pro ximal quar -
ter together with three fragments 
of the diaphysis of the same bone.
The distal third of the right fe mo -
ral bone is preserved, and the age 
at the time of death of the animal
was in the range of up to three 
years, according to the unfused 
distal epiphysis. The right talar bone is completely 
preserved.
Boar (Sus scrofa sp.)
The proximal half of the left third metacarpal bone is 
preserved.
Fish (Pisces)
Three vertebral bodies of an adult and two fish spines 
have been preserved.
Ordo: Cypriniformes, family: Cyprinidae
Pharyngeal teeth in two right pharyngeal arches of 
the throat of an adult fish are preserved (Fig. 12.b). 
Both are molariform shapes of pharyngeal teeth, very 
similar to Eurasian carp (Cyprinus carpio).
Sample PN 3446
Cattle (Bos taurus, L.)
The proximal half of the adult animal’s horn and 11
smaller fragments of the distal half of the rib are pre-
served. All fractures on the horn fragments are fresh 
and occurred postmortem.
Sample PN 3448
Twelve small animal bone fragments have been pre-
served, without a more precise taxonomic deter mi na-
tion.
Fig. 12. a Detail – oblique section on one third of right humeral bone of
cattle due to perimortal sharp force trauma; b molariform shape of pha ryn-
geal teeth, left pharyngeal bone, Cyprinidae; c left half of a young sheep or
a goat mandibula with a dental row: dp2, dp3, dp4, M1, (the age at the time
of death is around three months); d teeth marks (red arrows), right scapu-
lar bone of a sheep or a goat, lateral surface (author Z. Hincak Daris).

297
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
sp.), according to two preserved samples of the di -
s tal third of the right humeral bone, two small ru mi-
nants (sheep/goat – Ovis aries, L., Capra hircus, L.) ac-
cording to two preserved right scapular bones, two 
fish from the family Cyprinidae according to two right
pharyngeal bones with teeth, one deer (Cervus ela-
phus, L.) according to the distal third of the upper arm 
bone and one pig (Sus scrofa sp.) according to the left 
metacarpal bone.
The results of the percentage representation of in di vi-
dual animal species at the site are shown in Graph 1. 
The most numerous group are cattle with 49.04%. The 
next largest group with 30/57% are small ruminants, 
sheep and goats (Capra hircus, L., Ovis aries, L.). The
remains of ruminants (Ruminantia) follow with 6.37%,
and there are samples that are too fragmented for a 
more accurate taxonomic determination. The Cy   pri ni-
dae family is represented by 4.46% of the re mains, 
while the remains of deer (Cervus elaphus, L.) ac-
counted for 1.27% of the total and pig (Sus scrofa sp.) 
just 0.64%. Extremely fragmented remains, for which 
it was only possible to determine that they are animal 
remains (NN), are 7.65% of the total.
In the Graph 2, the percentage representation of an in-
dividual anatomical element in Grave 5 shows a signi-
ficant percentage of head bone samples, at 24.49% of 
the total. In that group, the largest number belongs 
to fragments of cattle horns, at 61.11%, skull bones 
with 19.45%, lower jaws with 13.88% and pha ryn geal 
arches with 5.56%. To this we can add a high per cen-
tage of bones of the thoracic cage, at 27.21%, such as 
ribs which make up 67.5% of these and ver tebrae with 
32.5%. The teeth of small ruminants, cattle and fish 
from the family Cyprinidae are account for 19.05% of 
the total, of which 3.57% are outside the jaw. There is 
a slightly smaller number of bones of a thoracic limb, 
at 8.85%, and a high percentage of samples of the up-
per arm bone at 61.54%, followed by fragments of the 
scapula with 23.08% and ulna bone with 1 5.38%. The 
bones of the pelvic limb are also less represented, with 
7.48%, of which the most numerous remains are the 
femur with 63.64% of these, the tibia with 18.18%, and
hip bone and fibula, each with 9.09%. More frag ment-
ed samples of diaphyses of long bones are represented 
by a high 4.76%, and unidentified samples account for 
8.16%.
There are nine samples of bones on which traces of 
human activity were found. The largest share of these, 
seven, is bones on which traces of cutting with a sharp 
body of the scapula, a fragment of the diaphysis of the 
femur, two short fragments of the body of the rib and 
the medial phalanx of the third or fourth digit have 
been preserved.
Small ruminants: sheep/goat (Ovis aries, L., Capra 
hircus, L.)
The left rib is preserved in the dorsal two thirds, two 
fragments of the diaphysis of the humerus bone, the
distal half of the diaphysis of the right humerus bone
of a young animal, no older than ten months, a frag-
ment of fibular bone, proximal two thirds of the right 
metatarsal bone.
Sample PN 3454
Cattle (Bos taurus, L.)
The medial phalanx, a fragment of scapular body, and 
two fragments of vertebral arch are preserved.
Sample PN 3458
Cattle (Bos taurus, L.)
Twenty fragments of the horn have been preserved.
Sample PN-3469
Cattle (Bos taurus, L.)
The caudal half of the cervical vertebra is preserved.
Sample PN 3478
Bone awl (Pl. 3.12, cat. no. 12)
A conical tool has been preserved, a processed and 
smo othed fragment of a parochial deer horn, which 
measures 109.2mm, while the width in the proximal, 
widest part is 23mm, and distally it extends into a 
spike.
Sample PN 3447, PN 3455, PN 3459
Numerous remains of freshwater and terrestrial ma-
lacofauna, snail shells and shells have been preserved.
Discussion
The osteological analysis included 165 samples, of
which there were 137 bone (83%) and 28 dental (7%)
animal remains from the Grave 5. The degree of pre-
servation of the material is low. Fragmented samples 
comprise 97% (160 samples), while only 3% (five sam-
ples) are completely preserved. The number of specific 
animal samples according to species and genus is 
51.3%. The rest of 48.7 includes a group of small 
(sheep/goat/roe deer – Ovis aries, L., Capra hir cus, 
L.) and large ruminants (deer/aurochs/cattle – Rumi-
nantia). The minimum number of individuals (MNI) at
the site is eight. Among them there are two cattle (Bos

298
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
field Streim, which is defined as the easternmost part 
of the tell-type settlement at the Vuèedol site. The ex -
cavated trenches are located along the southern edge
of the plateau covering an area of   1200m
2
. The layer 
of the Vuèedol culture is located very shallowly at a 
depth of 0.50–0.70m just below the layer of the Vin-
kovci culture and can be traced in five construction 
phases that date back to the Classical phase (the B1 
and B2 phases of the Vuèedol culture). This part of the 
settlement is architecturally very different from the
ones previously investigated (Vineyard Streim and 
Gra dac), and the well-preserved layers of above-
ground objects and pits, as well as movable finds, 
speak in favour of workshop activities. Between these 
objects, five graves of the Vuèedol culture (Grave 2–6) 
and one grave of the Vinkovci culture (Grave 1) were 
excavated. All graves were buried in deep or shallow 
pits, and according to the types we can distinguish 
here individual and group graves (of three or more 
people), and burials of parts of skeletons (skulls). Pits
with graves were carefully placed, excavated and pre-
pared for the deceased, and according to the spatial 
layout some links between certain objects can be ob-
served. All examples show a certain pattern of ritual 
be haviour from the very preparation of the pit, the 
laying of the deceased, the grave goods burial and 
sealing. In addition to pits with human remains, pits 
without human bones were recorded with a large 
amount of ceramics and other objects that speak of 
some form of communal sacrifice or cenotaph-type 
graves. So far, more than 20 burial units with more 
than 60 deceased have been excavated at the entire 
Vuèedol site. These are mainly double and group gra-
ves, some of which have more than 20 individuals, and
object are visible. According to the features of the edge, 
it is assumed that the traumas are of the perimortal 
type, and thus occurred around the time of death. The 
bones on which a cutting mark was recorded are the 
distal third of the humerus, in three cases of cattle and 
one of small ruminants (Fig. 12.a,c,d). If we add to that 
three samples of obliquely cut femur heads of cattle, it 
is possible to assume that what is being observed is a 
butcher’s technique of cutting meat. Three short cuts 
on the neck of the scapula on a small ruminant bone 
sample were observed, and these are the only traces of
shallow cuts. Only for one sample, a processed deer 
ant ler, is it possible to conclude with certainty that it 
represents an object, i.e. a tool – a simple awl. On the
lateral side of the right scapular bone of a small rumi-
nant, a sheep or a goat, traces of teeth are visible and 
they are marked by red arrows in (Fig. 12.d). Their im -
prints are not deep enough and wider possibilities 
of comparative studies are very limited. However, 
according to what has been determined, all the prints 
could belong to a man because there are traces of two 
incisors and canines, incisors with rectangular and ca-
nines with triangular marks. The scapula of small rumi -
nants is still a culinary specialty today, and on the la-
teral side, due to two depressions (fossa supraspinata 
and fossa infraspinata) divided by a ridge (spina sca-
pulae), the lack of muscle tissue and the teeth marks 
on the described part can be explained by this.
Conclusion
Grave 5 is one of the last findings from the recent ex-
  cavations of two trenches (V 12 and V 17) at the Corn-
Graph 1. Representation of analysed animal spe -
cies (bone and tooth fragments), Grave 5. Legend: 
BT cattle (Bos taurus, L.) cattle; O/C small ruminants 
(sheep, goat – Ovis aries L., Capra hircus L.); CE red
deer (Cervus elaphus L.); P fish (Pisces); S pig (Sus
scrofa sp.); R ruminants (Ruminantia), NN un iden-
tified (author Z. Hincak Daris).
Graph 2. Percentage representation of individual 
osteological elements of animals in Grave 5. Legend:
CB cranial bones; DENT teeth (dentes); BTC bones
of the thoracic cage; BTL bones of the thoracic limb; 
BPL bones of the pelvic limb; SMSP bones of manus
and pes; LB long bones; NN unidentified (author Z. 
Hin cak Daris).

299
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
the community. Person B was buried in the same burial
pit, but further away from person A. During field re-
search, only the left ulna of person B, a male that was 
40–50 years old at the time of death, was discovered. 
According to the development of the muscle attach-
ments, it was determined that the person was extre me -
ly physically active. Severing of the distal third of the
left ulna with the distal epiphysis, according to the fea -
tures of the trauma edge, must have occurred peri mor-
tally, around the time of the person’s death. 
In addition to human remains, the fragmented skeletal 
remains of animals were also found in the grave: cat tle,
deer, pig, small ruminants, sheep or goats and fish 
from the Cyprinidae family. Shallow traces of teeth and
incisions were found on eight samples, but it is pos si-
ble to claim that mostly dismembered parts of animal 
bodies were placed in the grave, since no traces of an-
thropogenic action can be seen on the other bones. 
The cutting marks visible on the bones are traces of 
butchering techniques. A bone awl made of deer antler 
was discovered as a grave find.
Other items are ceramic finds, pots and loom whorls, 
as well as stone, bone tools and cattle horns. The pots
are partially fragmented due to the stone being placed
on the deceased, and according to the types we disting-
uish biconical bowls with one tunnel-shaped handle 
that are of a terina type, biconical bowl with two hand-
les, and pots of smaller dimensions. The terinas are lo -
cated next to the upper part of the ske le ton, and ac-
cord ing to their shape and decoration technique they 
belong to the Classic phase of the Vu èedol culture. 
Ceramic whorls, a stone tool and a bone tool (antler 
awl) probably belong to the group of tools for weaving 
or fabric processing, and speak about the social status 
or identity of the deceased and the group (genus) to 
which they belonged. 
Grave 5, although one of the ‘most modestly’ equipped 
graves, actually contains almost all the ritual elements 
that we also notice in the other ‘richer’ graves from the 
Vuèedol site that have been excavated so far. From the 
shape and preparation of the burial pit, to the laying of 
the deceased, symbolic offerings and the filling of the 
burial with the remains of charcoal, shells and animal 
bones with traces of butchery and traces of human 
teeth, everything speaks in favour of a standardized 
protocol and repetitive forms of ritual behaviour and
ritual feasting. Although the Vuèedol culture is a re-
presentative of the Late Copper Age and already sig ni -
fies a kind of transition to the Bronze Age, funeral cus-
according to the treatment of the deceased and the 
elite finds we believe that they are all of a special class
in the society. Traces of violent death were not observ-
ed on the analysed skeletons, but we can certainly 
speak of human sacrifice at Vuèedol.
Grave 5 belongs to the type of individual burials in a 
deep bell-shaped pit, laid in an extension (niche) on 
a levelled loess bottom. The deceased (person A) was 
laid on his left side, in a very crouched position. The 
upper part of the skeleton was significantly disturbed 
as a result of placing a heavy stone (grindstone) on the 
deceased. In the immediate vicinity of the legs of the 
deceased another human bone was found, a part of the 
hand (ulna) that belonged to another person (person 
B) (postmortem manipulation), and we are treating 
it as a secondary burial, i.e. as a grave contribution. 
The skeleton is covered with several layers of soil with
various admixtures, and the backfill immediately 
above the deceased with a large amount of shells and 
snails, as well as a layer of charcoal and ash, stand out.
Immediately above the burial pit was a younger pit 
(waste pit) of the Vuèedol culture (phase B2), and 
above it a layer of the Vinkovci culture. Grave 5 was bu -
ried in the fourth construction phase of the Vuèedol 
settlement and we date it to the B1 phase of the Vu èe-
dol culture, which is supported by the absolute dates 
taken from the human bone sample (2910–2670 cal 
BC, 4222±33 BP)
In Grave 5, the osteological remains of two people 
were found. The skeleton of person A, a young male 
whose age at the time of death is in the range of 13–1 5 
years ± 30 months, is almost completely preserved. 
Such a wide range for the age was found to be due to 
the ‘delay’ in skeletal development as opposed to the 
dental development. With regard the reason for this, it 
is possible to assume the person’s poor state of health, 
as evidenced by established pathological changes, cri-
bra orbitalia on the superior-lateral surface of or bitae 
and linear enamel hypoplasia on the teeth, but without 
the possibility of revealing a primary dia gnosis. Three 
regular, shallow bone depressions are described, two 
on the frontal and one on the right pa  rietal bone. It is 
possible to call them lesions, but it is not possible to
make an exact conclusion about the manner of their 
formation. The fourth depression, which differs in 
shape, depth and surface features from the other three,
probably represents a trace of a healed lesion as a con-
sequence of trauma. Two special marks – depressions 
or lesions on the skull of the deceased that are not 
trauma scars – indicate the special status he had in 

300
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
positions of the deceased in the graves, rich ritual 
feasts and the marking of the deceased before death, 
i.e. markings on the body, also indicate strong influ-
ences of Steppe cultures in which we could look for the 
origin of the Vuèedol population.
toms do not differ much from the oldest traditional 
ones related to previous periods existing on the tells 
in this area south of the Danube. Nevertheless, we find
direct links in the graves of the Baden and Kostolac 
cultures, and some new elements such as the unusual 
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New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
Abbreviations: Pl. no. plate number; C clay; S surface; G grave nbr.; SU stratigraphic unit; PN/N 
artifact number; h. preserved height; w. preserved width; w.t. wall thickness; r.d. rim diameter; 
b.d. bottom dia meter; h.w. handle width; w.d. whorl diameter; p.d. perforation diameter; m. mass.
1. A biconical bowl (terina) with a slightly everted rim with one tunnel-shaped horizontally placed handle (Pl. 1.1); 
C: purified with a little admixture, dark grey colour (GLEY 1 4/N Dark grey); S: hard, traces of burning, polishing, 
the outer surface is light brownish-grey in colour (10 YR 6/2 Light brownish grey), the inner surface is dark grey 
(GLEY 1 4/N Dark grey); D: incising, notching and stabbing, decoration in the form of geometric motifs (line, 
triangle, wave). The motif of the wave is made with grooved incising located under the rim. A complex motif of 
tri angles made by incising, notching and stabbing located above the biconity. The decoration made by stabbing 
small oblong motifs in a row continuously flows along the triangle motifs above the biconity. The decoration 
on the handle is made by incising, notching and stabbing in the motif of complex triangles bordered by two 
lines and smaller oblong motifs (clepsydra motif); h. 11cm; w. 17cm, 18.8cm (with the handle); w.t. 0.7–0.9cm; 
r.d. 15cm; b.d. 5.5cm; h.w. 5.4cm; type terina bowl; dating B1 phase; location of the find: G 5, SU 689, PN: 3470, 
3477; unpublished.
2. A shallow biconical bowl with a everted rim with two opposite handles (Pl. 1.2); C: purified with a little ad-
mixture, dark grey colour (GLEY 1 4/N Dark grey); S: hard, burn marks, polished, outer surface varies from very 
dark grey (GLEY 1 3/N Very dark grey) to a light reddish-brown colour (5 YR 6/4 Light reddish brown), the inner 
surface is light brownish-grey (10 YR 6/2 Light brownish grey); D: incising and stabbing. Decoration in the form 
of horizontally and vertically placed strips made with horizontal lines and oblong motifs. The horizontal strip 
is located above the biconity, and two vertical strips to the rim of the bowl above the handle; h. 5.6cm; w. 16cm; 
w.t. 0.4-0.6cm; r.d. 16cm; b.d. 5cm; h.w. 2.6cm; type: biconical bowl; dating: B1 phase; location of the find: G 5, 
SU 689, PN: 3471; unpublished.
3. A biconical bowl (terina) with a slightly everted rim with a single tunnel-shaped horizontally placed handle 
(Pl. 1.3); C: purified with larger admixtures, dark grey colour (GLEY 1 4/N Dark grey); S: hard, traces of burning, 
po lished, outer surface, outer and inner surface are dark grey (GLEY 1 4/N Dark grey); D: incising and stabbing 
in the form of geometric motifs (line, mesh decoration, wave, triangle, oblong decoration).The motif of irregular 
ob long decorations and triangles executed by incising is located under the rim of the bowl. Complex geometric 
motifs are separated into a horizontal strip that continuously flows above the biconity in rows (metopes). They 
are separated by two vertical lines, made by incising, notching and stabbing motifs of wavy lines, lines and mesh 
decoration. Decoration on the handle made by incising in the motif of a cross (X-motif) bordered by lines in the 
shape of a rectangle; h. 8cm; w. 13.6cm, 14.9cm (with handle); w.t. 0.5–0.6cm; r.d. 13cm; h.w. 5.1cm; type: terina 
bowl; dating: B1 phase; location of the find: G 5, SU 689, PN: 3476; unpublished.
4. A biconical cup (small terina) with a slightly everted rim, a flat bottom and a tunnel-shaped handle (Pl. 2.4); 
C: refined with larger admixtures, grey colour (GLEY 1 5/N Grey); S: soft, traces of burning, polished, the outer 
surface is reddish-brown in colour (5YR 4/4 Reddish brown), the inner surface is reddish-grey in colour (5 YR 
5/2 Reddish grey); D: unadorned; h. 6.5cm; w. 8.00cm; 9,3 (with handle); w.t. 0.5–0.9cm; r.d. 7.4cm; b.d. 4cm; 
h.w. 2.2cm; type: terina cup; dating: B1 phase; location of the find: G 5, SU 689, PN: 3422; unpublished.
5. Fragment of a pot with a tunnel-shaped handle (Pl. 2.5); C: purified with a few small admixtures, grey colour 
(GLEY 5/N grey); S: soft, polished, outer and inner surfaces are greyish brown in colour (10 YR 5/2 Greyish 
brown); D: decoration made by deep incising in the form of horizontal and oblique lines; h. 5.9cm; w. 6.2cm; 
h.w. 3.8cm; w.t. 0.9cm; type: pot ?; dating: B1 phase; location of the find: G 5, SU 689, N: 662/2; unpublished.
6. A pot with a slightly everted rim and a cylindrical body with a tunnel-shaped handle (Pl. 2.6); C: purified with 
admixtures, dark grey colour (GLEY 1 4/N Dark grey); S: soft, burn marks, poorly polished, very dark grey outer 
surface (10 YR 3/1 Very dark grey) to a light yellowish brown colour (10 YR 6/4 Light yellowish brown), the 
Appendix. Catalogue

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Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
inner surface is grey (10 YR 5/1 grey); D: imprinting and polishing. Decoration on the outer edge of the bowl in 
the form of oblong motifs made using the imprinting technique. Incomplete polishing is present on the outer 
and inner surface of the bowl; h. 11.8cm; w. 8.8cm; w.t. 0.9cm; r.d. 8cm; h.w. 3.5cm; type: pot; dating: B1 phase; 
location of the find: G 5, SU 689, N: 662/4; unpublished.
7. A pot with a rounded body and narrow neck (Pl. 2.7); C: a lot of admixtures, very dark grey colour (GLEY 1 3/N 
Very dark grey); S: soft, traces of burning, polished and barbotine, the outer surface is very dark grey in colour 
(GLEY 1 3/N Very dark grey), the inner surface is dark reddish-grey in colour (5 YR 4/2 Dark reddish grey): D: 
stabbing and barbotine. Decoration on the outer edge of the bowl in the form of oblong motifs. On the shoulder 
of the pot in line with the tunnel-shaped handle, there is a decoration in the form of oblong motifs using the 
stabbing technique. The decoration is partially polished. Polishing is present on the rim of the upper part of the 
pot and on the neck and shoulder, while the lower part of the body of the vessel is decorated with the barbotine 
technique; h. 7.4cm; w. 9.5cm; w.t. 0.7cm; r.d. 8cm; h.w. 3.3cm; type: pot; dating: B1 phase; location of the find: 
G 5, SU 689, N: 662/3; unpublished.
8. Round, flat (discoid) whorl (Pl. 3.8); S: polished, grey in colour (10 YR 5/1 Grey); w.d. 7.2cm; p.d. 1.6cm; h. 
2,8cm; m. 126.1g; dating: B1 phase; location of the find: G 5, SU 689, PN: 3472; unpublished
9. Conical whorl (Pl. 3.9); S: polished, light brown colour (7.5 YR 6/4 Light brown); w.d.1. 2.4cm; w.d.2. 6.8cm; 
p.d. 1.2cm; h: 5.2cm; m. 157,7g; dating: B1 phase; location of the find: G 5, SU 689, PN: 3473; unpublished.
10. Round (spherical) whorl (Pl. 3.10); S: polished, dark grey (7.5 YR 4/1 Dark grey), burn marks; w.d. 5.8cm; p.d. 
1.2cm; h. 5cm; m. 140.8g; dating: B1 phase; location of the find: G 5, SU 689, PN: 3474; unpublished.
11. A fragment of whetstone of a rectangular shape with traces of use (Pl. 3.11); h. 7.3cm; w. 3.8cm; w.t. 2cm; 
dating: B1 phase; location of the find: G 5, SU 689, N: 662/1; unpublished.
12. A complete bone (deer antler) awl with a square-shaped base and a pointed working tip (Pl. 3.12); S: traces 
of processing, use and a damaged tip; h. 10.8cm; w. 1.2cm; type: group of pointed objects, awl; dating: B1 phase; 
location of the find: G 5, SU 689, PN:3478; unpublished.

309
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
Pl. 1. Pottery finds from Grave 5, Vuèedol-Cornfield Streim: 1 terina type bowl (PN 2470, 3477); 2 biconical 
bowl (PN 3471); 3 terina type bowl (PN 3476) (author of the drawing S. Bošnjak).

310
Danijela Roksandić Vukadin, Zdravka Hincak Daris, and Slavica Bošnjak
Pl. 2. Pottery finds from Grave 5, Vuèedol-Cornfield Streim: 4 terina type bowl (PN 3422); 5 pot fragment with 
handle (N 662/2); 6 pot fragment (N 662/4); 7 pot fragment (N 664/3) (author of the drawing S. Bošnjak).

311
New insights into the funeral practices of the Vučedol culture from the example of Grave no. 5, Vučedol – Cornfield Streim site
Pl. 3. Finds from Grave 5, Vuèedol-Cornfield Streim: 8 whorl (PN 3472); 9 whorl (PN 3473); 10 whorl (PN 
3473); 11 grinding stone (N 662/1); 12 Antler awl (PN 3478) (author of the drawing S. Bošnjak).