Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 102. (Budapest 2010)

Bernert, Zs.: Anthropological data from the Hungarian Scythian Period collected from the cemetery excavated at M0 Ring Road, Site No. 008, Akácos-dulo

Anthropological data from the Hungarian Scythian period 259 The ratio of graves with skeleton and those with cremated bones is 51:33. In case of bigger Scythian cemeteries, we can find that both cremation and skeletonised burial is quite common. Just to quote examples: the rate of skeletons and cremated graves is 108:72 in Szabadszállás (DEZSŐ 1966) and 230:211 in Tápiószele (FÓTHI et ál. 2006). The examination of cremated remains reveals less than that of skeletons. Information about the ritual of cremation, the temperature of burning and the accuracy and method of collecting remains can be gathered on the basis of the quantity and condition of calcinated bones. In certain lucky cases, some characteristic morphological features survive cremation, revealing the sex, the age or a disease of the person. Although the ritual of cremation also included urn cremation (at least 8 cases) in the case of the population of the site M0-008, Akácos-dűlő, the overwhelming method was scattered cremation. It is interesting that half of the individuals buried in urn were children (grave No. 62, 66, 70 and 77) and we can surely speak about adults only in case of two individuals (grave No. 23 and 73). Six of the urns included only postcranial bones while only two included cranial bones as well. As far as the level of cremation is concerned, the remains are quite similar. In most cases the bones became ash-white, whereas the surface became cracked, with a pattern similar to cobweb. When clashing, the quietly tinkling sound of the bones is similar to that of clashing pottery or porcelain. Just a few less cremated - black - bones were found (4 cases). In case of 4 individuals, we found white, chalky, tiny fragments referring to cremation heavier than the average. When establishing the level of cremation we used grades as follows: 1 = the surface of the bone is smutty, black; 2 = the bone is black in its entire thickness; 3 = the bone became bright, its surface is cracked with a pattern similar to cobweb, when clashing it gives a tinkling sound like porcelain; 4 = the bone is white and chalky; 5 = the structure of the bone is lost, fallen into ash. Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 102, 2010