New finds at a previously explored site:. Bioarchaeological analysis of skeletons from several newly excavated graves from Staré Město – ‘Na Valách’

Abstract

In the winter of 2020, a rescue archaeological excavation took place at the construction site of the Cyril and Methodius Centre of the Slovak Museum in the southern part of the well-known Middle Hillfort period burial ground ‘Na Valách’ in Staré Město. The site had been already excavated in the 1940s and 1950s. Nevertheless, several new graves were found. The purpose of this article is to present these new findings to the scientific community. Graves H 1/2020 to H 4/2020 were discovered in relatively close proximity to each other, while four other graves (H 5/2020 – H 8/2020) were located separately. These graves were all situated on the periphery of the late 1940s and Unfortunately, most of the graves were damaged during the machine excavation, which was subsequently reflected in the degree of preservation of the skeletons. In total, nine human skeletons were discovered in seven grave pits. The anthropological analysis identified three adults (one male and two females aged 40–60, 20–30, and 45–55 years) and six non-adults. Three of the immature individuals died between the ages of 15 and 17, one child was about 3 years old, and the two other children were 8–9 years old. Despite the young age (and presumably higher social status) of most of the individuals, many pathologies were found in their skeletons. The graves are dated from the second half of the 9th century to the beginning of the 10th century. Except for grave H 5/2020, all the other graves yielded rich finds (earrings, a ring, spherical buttons, knives, and ceramic fragments). The nature of the finds indicates that the graves belonged to representatives of the upper social class of early medieval Moravia in the second half of the 9th century.