Tracing Neolithic Funerary Practices from Finnish Ochre Graves – a Case Study from Kukkarkoski Comb Ware Burial Ground

Authors

• Marja Ahola University of Helsinki

Abstract

Finnish Stone Age earth graves are often referred to as “simple pit graves”, fostering the illusion of an equally simple funerary rite. In this article, the complexity of Stone Age funerary practices and grave structures are explored by reinterpreting the Middle Neolithic burial ground of Kukkarkoski in the light of ritual practice theory. As can be observed from the Kukkarkoski material, the Finnish ochre graves show evidence of a complicated mortuary practice, where the deceased were cared for in various ways. Furthermore, at the Kukkarkoski burial ground new graves were made in connection with old burials, indicating a close connection with past generations. This combination of care and connection seems to be at the core of Neolithic funerary rites for earth graves.