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Rare Types of Trephination from Hungary Shed New Light on Possible Cross‐cultural Connections in the Carpathian Basin
Author(s) -
Bereczki Z.,
Molnár E.,
Marcsik A.,
Pálfi G.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
international journal of osteoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1099-1212
pISSN - 1047-482X
DOI - 10.1002/oa.2304
Subject(s) - phenomenon , ethnic group , history , cultural phenomenon , geography , genealogy , archaeology , ancient history , linguistics , anthropology , sociology , philosophy , epistemology
Symbolic or incomplete trephinations are very common in Hungary in 9 th –11 th century AD skeletal series connected to early Hungarians, although they also occur in the preceding Avar Age (6 th –9 th c. AD) material. During the compilation of a database of regional cranial modification data, the authors found rare almond‐shaped symbolic trephinations in both periods, while these had formerly only been reported in Early Hungarian series. In this study, the new almond‐shaped lesions are described along with other symbolic trephinations of 14 newly found skulls from the 8 th –11 th centuries AD in the Southern Great Plain of Hungary. The authors review the research of the phenomenon. The new findings may strengthen the theory of direct and very close cultural connections of these two ethnic groups, adding a new aspect to the debate over the origin and relationship of Late Avar (late 7 th –early 9 th c. AD) and Early Hungarian (9 th –11 th c. AD) populations. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.