- Chapter Twenty-Six -
adults of either sex - there is a small number of variant graves including simple flat
graves and multiple (possibly familial) burials.
While nearly all the burials were crouched, a minority were placed in an extended
position. This presents one point of variance from the possible continental homeland
- Marnian burials are normally extended with heads to the west (see p. 505 below).
About 80 per cent of the burials were placed on their left side, with a minority of
20 per cent on the right side. Overall, about 70 per cent of the burials are placed with
the head between north and north-east, with about 25 per cent buried with head to
the south to south-west. The remainder are oriented east to west (with head to the
east). Interestingly, the east-west burials are nearly always in an extended position
rather than crouched. Such variations in position, orientation or preferences for
left or right sides show no apparent correlation with age or sex. Thus the minorities
represented are interpreted as normal social sub-groups.
The majority of Arras burials were accompanied by grave goods. These consisted
of personal bronze jewellery, pottery vessels (small coarseware jars) and joints of pig
meat. The extended burials have a distinctive inventory of goods, usually of iron (the
jewellery with crouched burials is universally of bronze). This includes some burials
of warriors with short swords and spears, as well as a variety of tools. The extended
burials are not associated with ceramic pots, pig bones or personal ornamants.
At the top of the apparent range is a number of burials with two-wheeled carts or
chariots (van Endert 1986). The carts are known from their iron fittings and wheel
rims, and bronze horse trappings, and were usually dismantled for burial (whereas
Marnian carts are usually complete). In the Arras tradition, cart-burials usually
contain few subsidiary grave goods.
The Arras pottery is a local product, but the metalwork shows clear inspiration from
northern France, albeit in very simple style and range. Most are in La Tene II style, but
curiously appear not in the earliest series of burials but rather in a second phase. This
may be interpreted as the second and third generations of an immigrant group burying
family heirlooms, and thereafter carrying on with locally produced items.
Some speculation concerning this tradition may be hazarded in advance of the
definitive excavation reports. The extended burials with iron objects including
weapons may represent warriors. The crouched burials represent the majority of
the population, subdivided by the use of body position and orientation into four
subgroups. What is missing is the socially abnormal group so prominent in the
surrounding traditions: if they existed they clearly received some other, archaeo-
logically invisible form of disposal.
TRADITIONS OF NORTH-WEST EUROPE
Western Germany and Northern France
A generalized burial tradition developed during the Early Iron Age western Hallstatt
period, and continued with local variations for several centuries. This tradition is
based on simple extended inhumation in flat graves, and with east-west orientation
(head to west). The burials are usually located in small cemeteries generally attributed