Rituell kontinuitet: En jämförelse av gravritualer hos Ertebølle- och gropkeramisk kultur

Sammanfattning: New data shows that there is genetic continuity between the Scandinavian Mesolithic Ertebølle culture and the Scandinavian Neolithic Pitted Ware culture. To examine whether it is possible to demonstrate the continuity in other aspects than the genetic, this paper examines graves from three Mesolithic grave fields (Skateholm I & II and Vedbæk) and two Neolithic grave fields (Ajvide and Västerbjers), their burial customs and ritual practices. The focus is placed on the position of the body, the placement of grave goods and the presence of red ochre in the grave. Using theory of practice and the theory of ritualization, the burial customs of the Ertebølle culture and the Pitted Ware culture are compared, to answer whether change in culture is a faster process than the process of genetic change. The outcome of the questions asked in this paper is that while there are some minor aspects that both cultures are similar in their ritualized actions, the differences are bigger. The use of red ochre, the amount and placement of the grave goods in the graves as well as the position of the head differs too much. Therefore it is not possible to find any proof of continuations by examining the burial customs and ritual practices.