Globular Amphora culture
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The Globular Amphora Culture, German Kugelamphoren, ca. 3400-2800 BC, is an archaeological culture contemporaneous with and overlapping the central area occupied by the Corded Ware culture. Somewhat to the south and west, it was bordered by the Baden culture, which also overlapped portions occupied by the Corded Ware culture. To the northeast was the Narva culture. It occupied much of the same area as the earlier Funnelbeaker culture. It takes its name from the characteristic pottery, globular-shaped pots with two to four handles.
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[edit] Extent
It was located in the area defined by the Elbe catchment on the west and that of the Vistula on the east, extending southwards to the middle Dnieper and eastwards to reach the Dniester.
[edit] Economy
The economy was based on raising a variety of livestock, pigs particularly in its earlier phase, in distinction to the Funnelbeaker culture's preference for cattle. Settlements are sparse, and these just small clusters of houses. It is suggested that some of these settlements were not year-round, or may have been temporary.
[edit] Burials
It is primarily known from its burials. Inhumation was into a pit or cist. A variety of grave offerings were left, including animal parts (such as a pig's jaw) or even whole animals, e.g., oxen.
[edit] Interpretation
The inclusion of animals into the grave indicate an intrusive cultural element, that is, probably a new people. The practice of suttee is a highly intrusive cultural element. The supporters of Marija Gimbutas and her Kurgan hypothesis point to these distinctive burial practices and state this represents the second-wave migration of Indo-Europeans.
Speculatively, it allows one to put the earliest Germans and earliest Balto-Slavs in proximity to interchange some lexical items, before the Germans cross the Baltic Sea into Sweden. And it can be further posited that a coastal/riverine people of the Corded Ware culture in this region are responsible for the Germanic substrate.
[edit] Sources
J. P. Mallory, "Globular Amphora Culture", Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture, Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.
