0027 - Integrality

Many archaeological studies are dealing with the issues of fragmentation and its social roles in the context of Neolithic and Chalcolithic societies (for a Portuguese recent perspective see here). But fragmentation cannot be approach apart from its opposite, "integrality", for the two oppositions are a duality: they implicate each other.

That we can see in the anthropomorphic figurines present in the deposition of cremated remains in Perdigões central area. If the majority of figurines are burned and broken in peaces, just like the human remains, revealing the intention of fragmentation and dilution of the unity of the body, the deposition of this figurine, just next to the cremated remains, shows the importance conceded to completeness, establishing a dialogue between part / whole: the broken leg was intentionally completed with a fragment of a human calcined bone.

The publication of this context and its discussion can be found here.

(Photo copyright A.C. Valera / C. Cunha - Era Arqueologia)