Kopilo burial ground near Zenica - New insights into burial practices during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages in central Bosnia

Abstract

The cooperation between the Austrian Archaeological Institute (Austrian Academy of Sciences) and City Museum Zenica in the frame of the project “Visualizing the unknown Balkans” resulted in the discovery and subsequent archaeological investigations of the first documented graveyard of Late Bronze and Early Iron Age in central Bosnia at the site Kopilo. The excavations conducted in 2021 and 2022 brought to light the cemetery located on the terrace below the previously investigated hilltop settlement and provided new insights into the mortuary practices of the local prehistoric population. In total, we unearthed 46 graves, with 51 individuals of all age groups. Most of the graves were placed in stone constructions that included several inhumation burials. We also found clear evidence of grave reopening and reuse, multiple burials and graves containing only selected body parts. The spectrum of metal and pottery finds consists of local, regional and forms of supra-regional distribution, indicating well-established communication networks of the community that used the cemetery.