%0 Journal Article
%T Ristripatsid Eesti 12.¨C13. sajandi laibakalmistutes: kas ehted v i usu tunnused? / The cross-shaped pendants of inhumation burials in 12th-13th century Estonia: adornments or signs of belief?
%A Tuuli Kurisoo
%J £¿petatud Eesti Seltsi Aastaraamat/Yearbook of the Learned Estonian Society
%D 2012
%I ?petatud Eesti Selts
%X Cross-shaped pendants are one of the most discussed symbolically laden artefacts among Estonian archaeological material. The beginning of the distribution of cross-shaped pendants dates back to 11th century when the artefacts, though scarce, appear. The number of such pendants increases noticeably at the very end of the Iron Age. Due to the ambiguous entity of cross and time context, cross-pendants have been interpreted either as symbols of Christian faith, as pieces of adornment not affiliated with Christianity, or as objects with magical qualities. In this paper I study pendants found in the inhumation cemeteries of Estonia. Only those provide us with an archaeological context which shows precisely who could have worn them and how. The analyzed cross-pendants were found at Pada, Kaberla, Kukruse, Haimre and Tammiku cemeteries and from the early burials in Viru-Nigula churchyard. As artefacts, the cross pendants are more or less stylized Greek crosses. In most cases the pendants were either used as a part of jewellery or worn singularly around the neck area. From the total of 48 analyzed cross-pendants one fourth could be interpreted as locally produced items. Of local origin are probably lead pendants from Pada cemetery, heads of decorative pins worn as cross-shaped pendants from Viru-Nigula and Kaberla cemeteries, and obvious scrap and unfinished pendant crosses. In addition, I would like to draw attention that cross-pendants from inhumation burials do not contain many widespread forms, such as ¡®Scandinavian¡¯ and some other widespread Russian origin types, which have been found in hoards, from hill-forts and cremation burials. This observation could confirm that cross pendants from 12th¨C13th century inhumation burials were communally recognized and some of them were locally manufactured. As the next stage of my investigation I studied different occurrence contexts of cross pendants in cemeteries and burials: the location of burials with cross-pendants in a cemetery, their orientation, grave goods, pendants with symbolic meaning and reference to other cross-symbolism. It appears that concerning general burial rituals, burials with cross-pendants do not differ from other contemporary burials. In the case of people being buried with crosses, family and/or community traditions may have been considered primary in the funeral rite. On an individual level it resulted in cross-pendants appearing in the graves of males, females or children; as a part of a necklace, as grave goods, etc.; either one or several. Finally, I took into account the data which I gaine
%K matmiskombestik
%K burial customs
%K kalmed
%K burials
%K irdmuistised
%K stray finds
%K archaeological finds
%K ehted
%K adornments
%K muinasusk
%K prehistoric religion
%K s¨¹mboolika
%K symbolics
%K 12. saj.
%K 12th century
%K 13. saj
%K 13th century
%U http://www.ut.ee/OES/wp-content/uploads/Kurisoo.pdf