“Le Feu et la Mort: Des Structures de Combustion Associées à des Sépultures à Tell Mozan (Nord-Est de la Syrie) au Bronze Moyen,”
in P. Bielinski, M. Gawlikowski, R. Kolinski, D. Lawecka, A. Soltysiak and Z. Wygnanska (eds.), Proceedings of the 8th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East. 30 April-4 May 2012,University of Warsaw. Volume 2. Excavation and Progress Reports, Posters, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, pp. 667-675.
The relationship between fire and death (or burial practices) is well-known in archaeology. This paper investigates the connection between some combustion structures (the tannurs and the andirons [for which see specifically Kelly-Buccellati 2004]) found nearby tombs (on the High Mound) [a total 181 human skeletons from 159 graves have been uncovered at Mozan, thus far].
A problem is stated: “Based on these observations, the question of ritual activity related to fire around these tombs arises. Why these individuals have been chosen?”. An here the alleged answer: “The bio-archaeological approach allows to analyze differently several examples from Tell Mozan and evidence is brought from the study of the biological profile of the individuals supporting the fact that they were chosen. The use of fire is connected to a selection according to age and/or sex of the deceased. These results provide evidence that the inhumation is only part of a whole funeral process, together with a ‘fire ritual’ reserved for some graves” (p. 135, abstract).
After an introduction about the site and the different burial practices of the Middle Bronze Age in Syria, the authors describe Mozan as far as its burial areas: the necropolis is constituted of 20 burial zones (A1-A20) presenting two phases of use (Ancient Khabur, ca. 2000-1900 BC and Late Khabur, ca. 1900-1600 BC). Some human remains from Urkesh’s graves offers traces of firing: though an archaeothanatologic approach, the archaeologists were able to define that no cremation practices were performed at Mozan: thus, how to explicate the traces of firing on human bones (changing their colour because of the high temperature, around 650°)?
To answer this question, the scholars tried to define the age of death and the sex of the dead people; moreover, a strict analysis of all the burial places presenting traces of fire are presented and discussed: tombs A16.81, A16.156, A16.123, A16.78, A16.69 and the zones A10 and A2 [more information can be found on UGR/AA; specifically on tombs in Area A16, see UGR/A16].
In sum, 8 tombs clearly presented traces of fire: the position of the tombs just above the firing places and their proximity to high temperature caused by fire could explain the traces of burning on the human skeletons (it is important to remember that the matrix of the soil all around the graves is mostly composed of clay, a material that conducts heat very well).
Another possibility is to consider the firing structures as a landmark denoting the presence of tombs of important people nearby. This idea, if proved, carries another question: who were the owner of the tomb signalled by those landmarks? Quoting directly the authors’ words: “Ces individus avaient-ils un statut social particulier que l’on aurait voulu perpétuer par cette pratique funéraire ? Ces structures de feu, qui semblent avoir été utilisées à de multiples reprises, ont probablement servi à des cultes commémoratifs particuliers. Il importe en revanche de souligner qu’en dehors des structures superficielles de combustion, le soin apporté à ces morts ne les distingue pas des autres défunts inhumés dans la nécropole. Le mobilier associé est modeste et reste comparable à celui des autres tombes” (p. 144).
Thus, the question still remains open to confirm this hypothesis or to advance other possible explanation. In the end of the paper, the authors also recall Hittite texts mentioning the use of fire during burial activities and mentions also the kispum, a ritual performed to homage and remember the ancestors (at Urkesh, possibly connected to the ābi: cf. Buccellati and Kelly-Buccellati 2005).
[About this topic, see also a poster presented at the 8thICAANE, in 2012].