Sicrie şi amenajări funerare din lemn atestate la sarmaţii de pe teritoriul Banatului / Coffins and funerary wooden structures discovered on the Sarmatian territory of Banat
Jan. 1, 2012
Keywords:
amenajări funerare
funerary structures
coffins
sicrie
Sarmatians
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Abstract
Coffins are found in one third of Sarmatians graves in the Carpathian Basin (about 23 %), noticed by the remnants
of wood or the presence of “S” or C” shaped iron clamps1
. On the territory of ancient Banat coffins or other
types of wooden funerary structures, are present in five unmarked necropolises (Szeged – Szőreg, homokbánya,
Kiszombor B, Vojlovica – Pančevo, Foeni, Giarmata) and two barrow necropolises (Vizejdia/ Vizesd – Puszta
and maybe Dudeștii Vechi/ Óbesenyő)2
. Probably the number of coffins was higher, but due to environmental
condition, robberies and incomplete documentation especially on barrow graves, the information concerning the
funerary wooden structure are seriously lacking in details.
Despite all of this, on the territory of ancient Banat, extremely varied wooden structures have been documented:
box shaped coffi ns, possibly even burial chambers (at Vizejdia), coffi ns made out of thee trunks (closed with “S”
and “C” shaped iron clamps) and funerary stretchers, on which the deceased was placed for transportation and,
ultimately, buried with it3
. All this diff erent wooden arrangements refl ect various infl uences: eastern remnants,
roman funerary rites, but also local traditions, all of which give us clues towards the complexity of funerary rites
and the diff erences within the Sarmatians tribes settled in Banat.
