Folia archeologica 46.

Ritoók Ágnes: A magyarországi falusi templom körüli temetők feltárásának újabb eredményei

FAL

L SI TEMPLOM KÖRÜLI TEMETŐK 177 ences within the community. These stones might have served as fixing or bracing the coffin/shroud in the grave pit. Burials are oriented mostly to the East. Skeletons were generally laid on their back in an extended position. In some graves of the 1 1

c

h— 1

3

t

h c. cemeteries the forearms were crossed on the waist/chest. The number of such graves increases substantially during the late mediaeval period. The origin of this burial rite is disputed. The crossing of the arms of the dead is characteristic to the S- and EEuropean peoples from the 10

t

h c. onwards and for the Orthodox population settled clown in Hungary during the 16

t

h—

17

t

h c. It could therefore be argued either that it is a reflection of Byzantine influence or simply a manner of manifestation of piety or devotion, as it is supported by the tombstones of high priests from the 14"' с onwards. At least 10% of the burials in every well researched churchyard, contains simple jewellery and dress ornaments. In addition to them utensils have been sporadically unearthed from the graves: most of them are knives (from male graves), belonging actually to men's wear. Another group of fairly rare grave-goods consists of horseshoes, scissors, sickles and jugs related to beliefs from thebeyond, to protect living from evil influences of the dead. Sickle and jug together were enclosed in late mediaeval women's graves, died in childbirth or immediately before it. Hungarian physical anthropology of the last decades concentrated mainly on pathology of small series. Nevertheless it has been found that brachycephaly became common in the late mediaeval period. Though the expectation of life among women was lower, men seemed to be less healthy than women died at the same age. An examination of written sources concerning late mediaeval aristocracy, first of all bishops, has proved, that persons of peasant birth lived longer, probably due to nutrition and way of life of their ancestors, since they ate less meat and more vegetables, and worked hard. Agnes Ritoók