Soziale Binnengliederung im linearbandkeramischen Gräberfeld von Schwetzingen (Rhein-Neckar-Kreis)

Abstract

Internal Social Structure of the Linear Pottery Culture Cemetery of Schwetzingen (Rhein-Neckar-Kreis)

The here presented study aims at the identification of possible kinship groups and the reconstruction of social structures in the Linear Pottery Culture cemetery of Schwetzingen based on hypervariable frontal sinus morphology. The sample consists of CT scans from 58 subadult and adult individuals. For description and analysis a binary scoring-scheme was established based on the varying characteristics of the frontal sinus morphology. It was possible to reconstruct four kinship groups. A comparison with the archaeological findings suggests a social organisation shaped by lineages or clans. Therefore, people within different social structures were not necessarily related by kinship but the results point to a more hierarchical and inheritable structure in individual kinship groups.