Full Archives, Meaningless Data? What Artefacts Can Tell about Age and Gender at Large-Scale Cemeteries (Case Study Colonia Iulia Emona)

Abstract

The cemeteries of Colonia Iulia Emona, like those of numerous other Roman-period towns, were largely excavated before scientific analyses became standard practice. This article looks into how various aspects of identity can be reconstructed from such an incomplete data set. Existing data is evaluated to establish gender and age, while the perception of aging in the Roman world and the presence of underrepresented groups, such as children and the elderly, are also discussed. Furthermore, I will look at objects that are not typically associated with any specific category, such as drinking and dining equipment and, to a lesser extent, objects related to occupations. The ultimate aim of this paper is to develop a methodology that provides more insight into 'sexless and ageless' graves and potentially enables their interpretation in terms of identity.

Capturing the Silences in Digital Archaeological Knowledge

“…572-573); [49] (pp. 343-345); [50] (p. 2)). To resolve known unknowns such as these, data about age at death and sex are frequently fitted to general classes (such as neonate, infant, subadult, etc.)…”