Petrović Anđa, Bates Jessica, Macāne Aija, Zagorska Ilga, Edmonds Mark, Nordqvist Kerkko, Little Aimée
Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Centre for Artefacts and Materials Analysis, Department of Archaeology, University of York, York, United Kingdom.
PLoS One. 2025 Sep 10;20(9):e0330623. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0330623. eCollection 2025.
The Stone Dead Project carried out analysis of the flaked lithic assemblages from burial contexts at Zvejnieki cemetery, Latvia. Zvejnieki (c. 7500-2500 cal. BC) represents one of the largest Stone Age burial grounds in Europe, consisting of over 330 burials containing 350 individuals. Using a multiproxy approach, combining geological, technological, functional, spatial and depositional context information, we compare the biographies of lithic grave goods with biographical information (age, sex) of the humans they accompany. Results show gender equality in lithic offerings whilst children are the age group most frequently given lithic grave goods. Certain typologies appear to have carried particular significance and were possibly made, and sometimes broken, as part of funerary rituals. The implications of these and other findings are discussed and placed within their broader archaeological context.
“石死项目”对拉脱维亚兹韦涅基墓地墓葬环境中的石片石器组合进行了分析。兹韦涅基（约公元前7500 - 2500年）是欧洲最大的石器时代墓地之一，由330多个墓葬组成，埋葬着350个人。我们采用多学科综合方法，结合地质、技术、功能、空间和沉积环境信息，将石质随葬品的“生平”与它们所伴随的人类的传记信息（年龄、性别）进行比较。结果显示，在石质祭品方面存在性别平等，而儿童是最常被给予石质随葬品的年龄组。某些类型似乎具有特殊意义，可能是作为丧葬仪式的一部分制作的，有时还会被打破。我们讨论了这些发现及其他发现的意义，并将其置于更广泛的考古背景中。
