From individuality to regionality in the distribution area of tarand cemeteries in the Roman Iron Age

Abstract

Doktoritöö „Individuaalsusest regionaalsuseni tarandkalmete levikualas rooma rauaajal“ uurib tarandkalmetesse matnud inimeste kuuluvuse väljendust individuaalsel, kogukondlikul ja regionaalsel tasandil. Tarandkalmed olid kividest ehitatud monumentaalsed kogukondlikud matmispaigad, kus luud ja esemed on segatud ning fragmentaarsed ja seetõttu on üksikmatuste eristamine keerukas. Neid kalmeid kasutati umbes esimesel neljal sajandil pKr (rooma rauaaeg). Individuaalseid jooni sai eristada üksikute luupesade põhjal. Nende olemasolu viitab tõenäoliselt individuaalsetele etappidele surnu matmisel läbiviidud rituaalides, mille abil eristati neid sellel hetkel teistest kalmesse maetutest. Tarandkalmetes võib näha ka erinevusi kogukonna liikmete vahel. Monumentaalsetesse kalmetesse mitmeetapiliste ja aeganõudvate matuserituaalide käigus ning sageli uhkete panustega maetud kuulusid ilmselt ühiskonna eliiti. Viimsi I tarandkalmes ilmnes seos meessoost indiviidide ja ambsõlgede vahel, mis võib viidata, et mõnede sotsiaalsete rühmade esindajad kandsid grupiomaseid ehteid. Luud ja esemed paiknesid kalmetes teatud aladel – kõigel oli kalmes oma kindel koht ning samu matmistraditsioone järgiti sajandeid. Matmine tarandkalmetesse oli tõenäoliselt osa kogukonna kollektiivsest identiteedist. Regionaalsel tasandil ilmnes, et osades piirkondades eelistati kindlaid ehteid, millega võidi väljendada oma piirkonna ühtekuuluvust ja identiteeti. Samas polnud see tõenäoliselt ehete kandmise esmane ülesanne ja neil esemetel oli ka teisi tähendusi, mis ilmnesid vastavates sotsiaalsetes situatsioonides. Kohalikku kultuuri mõjutasid suuresti kaugsidemed lõunapoolsete aladega, eriti Läänemere ida- ja kagurannikuga. Kolmandal sajandil loodi kontaktid ka idapoolse Euroopa emailimiskeskustega. Omaks võeti vaid valitud uued ehtevormid, millest loodi lokaalseid erimeid ja mis arenesid edasi juba kohalikus kontekstis.

The doctoral dissertation „From individuality to regionality in the distribution area of tarand cemeteries in the Roman Iron Age“ explores the affiliation of people who lived in the distribution area of tarand cemeteries and used those cemeteries in the Roman Iron Age (ca first four centuries AD) on the individual, communal and regional levels. Tarand cemeteries are monumental communal stone burial places where burials and artefacts are commingled, fragmented and thus identifying single burials is difficult. The individual level was distinguished based on the presence of bone clusters that could refer to individual episodes in the burial of the deceased, which distinguished them from others buried in the cemetery. The ones buried into tarand cemeteries probably belonged to the higher strata of the society because they were buried into the monumental cemeteries, often with elaborate grave goods during time-consuming and multi-stage rituals. In Viimsi I cemetery a correlation of male individuals and crossbow brooches was present; thus, some social groups could have worn specific ornaments. Also, bones of the deceased and grave goods were often deposited to a specific area in the cemetery. The fixed spatial arrangement refers to established patterns of practices maintained over centuries. Burying to tarand cemeteries was a part of the collective identity of the community. On a regional level, it was distinguished that different ornaments were preferred in specific regions. Wearing those ornaments may have been important to differ from other regional groups. The ornaments also could have held different social meanings when used in a specific context. Local culture was influenced by long-distance contacts with southern areas, especially with the eastern and south-eastern coastal areas of the Baltic Sea. Since the third century, connections with Eastern Europe rose as well. Selected new forms of ornaments were adopted into the regional culture, new versions were created and developed according to the local context.