The Date of the Stone-Cist Cemetery at Jõelähtme Reconsidered

Abstract

Fifteen radiocarbon dates of inhumed burials were obtained for the 36 stone-cist graves at Jõelähtme, the largest completely excavated stone-cist cemetery in Estonia, to confirm and complement the typo-chronological date based on the Nordic Bronze Age chronology. The bronze artefacts of Nordic origin, such as razors, tweezers, double buttons, and looped toggles, in which the cemetery is, in the local context, exceptionally rich, date from Montelian Periods IV and V, more specifically perhaps around the turn of the periods. This is in good accordance with the radiocarbon dates, which show that burial began around 1000 BC at the latest and ended around 900 BC at the earliest. It is likely that the lifespan of the cemetery was longer between 1100 (less likely, 1200) and 800 BC. Besides the human remains, a dog bone and a cat bone were radiocarbon dated to ca AD 260-540 and 990-1160, respectively. Particularly surprising was the late date for the dog, because the separate cist apparently built for dogs suggested a date contemporary with the Bronze Age burials.

Dietary habits in medieval and early modern Estonia: evidence from stable isotope analysis

“…A fine example of an almost entirely terrestrial diet is seen for Bronze Age individuals from Jõelähtme grave complex in northern Estonia (Laneman 2021), with those from Iron Age Kukruse cemetery (Oras et al 2018) also having similar average carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (Fig. 7).…”

Chronology of a group of stone-cist graves in northern Estonia: radiocarbon dates from Lastekangrud at Rebala

“…Allmäe 2010;Varul 2016;cf. Laneman 2012, 103;2021). It is therefore advisable to remain cautious in regard of his inferences on demographics and mortuary practices.…”

“…Bone pins, including 'spade-headed' specimens, date back to the early stone-cist graves, as demonstrated by the cemetery at Jõelähtme. It is possible that bone pins accompanied burials at Jõelähtme as early as before 1000 BC (Laneman 2021). Bone pins have also been found in the grave groups with calibrated radiocarbon dates across the Hallstatt plateau at 800-500/400 BC, i.e.…”

“…It has been observed that stone graves may have been tended for a long time after burial had ended (e.g. Lang 2000, 104;Laneman 2021), and it is conceivable that other rituals took place at the sites. This possibly accounts for the presence of 'late' artefact finds at some sites.…”

“…the interred individuals, has been applied to tackle the issue. The most exten sively sampled groups of stone-cist graves are those at Jõelähtme and Jaani at Väo (Laneman et al 2015;Laneman 2021), while elsewhere the focus has been either on single mounds, sampled thoroughly (Laneman 2012;Laneman & Lang 2013), or on single individuals included in a research project with an aim other than the chronology (Saag et al 2019). Focussing on whole groups is obviously a more informative strategy than focussing on single mounds or single individuals.…”