Jotvingių ritualai, apeigos ir papročiai

ENThe Western Balts knew two types of burial: burial and cremation of a body. Cremation was most commonly used in the region of Mrągowo, Great Mazury Lakes and on the territory of Augustów Plains. The custom resembled the rites of Przewor culture and survived to the Middle Ages, to the time when the Teutonic Knights began the Christianization of Prussia. The Western Balts while burring the dead laid the body on the back, straightened, the hands were arranged along the trunk or bent at the elbows and clasped on the trunk. Rarely the body was arranged differently. The corpse was laid in a north- south direction with the head in the north. The author of the article discusses in great details the position of the body in terms of the sides of the world. He also compares the burials in other parts of Europe. Everyday objects, tools and weapons were placed in the grave. The objects of the greater importance were arranged near the head of the deceased. Weapons were laid according to certain rules: a sword - on the left, shields on the legs, etc.