Variability and change of burial practices.

The Early Iron Age cemetery of Schirndorf as an example

Abstract

Religion and ritual are undoubtedly important archaeological categories that are, however, rarely explicitly reflected upon. This paper argues that despite the fact that religion is only realised in ritual, both concepts should be treated separately. Principally, the (reconstruction of religious systems is archaeologically possible but this does not help understand changes in rituals. These are first and foremost performances whose form and course is mainly influenced by the participants. That is why each singleritualis unique. A significant aspect are the individual ideas and desires of the participants. In that way, rituals become important instruments for
social struggle. Therefore, and despite their often conservative appearance, most rituals undergo dynamic changes. Such transformations are demonstrated with the Hallstatt cemetery of Kallmünz-Schirndorf in Bavaria. In accordance with the performative approach towards rituals the variability there in terms of burial rite - inhumation vs. cremation - and grave construction - chamber, secondary or simple burial - is explained as expression of intensive disputes among the participants over the most appropriate burial mode.