Gathering the Very Young. A Contribution to Early Byzantine Burial Practises Based on the Contextual Analysis of a Children’s Grave Found in Ancient Pallantion (Arcadia, GR)

This paper presents a children’s grave, found in 2009 during rescue excavations at the settlement of Ancient Pallantion (Arcadia, GR). The grave contained the human remains of five individuals aged between 1 and 5 years, a clay jug, a belt buckle, two earrings and a cross pendant, all dating to the 6th–early 7th c. This assemblage was examined through an interdisciplinary approach (archaeology & bioarchaeology) that revealed evidence regarding the biological identity and health status of the deceased as well as information concerning children’s clothing and burial practices. In this particular grave the individuals—in all probability relatives—consist of primary burials as well as secondary deposits thus possibly displaying the parents’ desire to gather the very young. Finally, the age at death of all individuals confirmed the high infant mortality of the first age category (πρώτη ἡλικία) that can be caused by infections, injuries, malnutrition, unhygienic living conditions as well as the onset of weaning and its accompanying biological adaptations.