Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (145 page)

A building belonging to an established religious organization and used for collective Christian worship, the performance of ceremonies, pilgrimage, and the veneration of relics. Early churches were hidden in catacombs or in caves, but from the 4th century onwards they were specially built structures often modelled on the basilican halls of late Roman public buildings. The plan and layout of all churches is partly related to liturgical needs and ceremonial functions, and partly to symbolic and spiritual factors. Thus the majority are rectangular or cross-shaped in plan, orientated broadly east to west, with the main focus at the east end.

 
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Bronze Age nomadic communities occupying the Russian steppes north of the Black Sea during the later 2nd millennium
bc
, well known in the archaeological literature for their horse-riding skills. The Cimmerians were driven out of their traditional homelands by the
SCYTHIANS
in the 8th century
bc
, retreating through the Caucasus to cause havoc in Anatolia and the Near East. Their relatives the
THRACIANS
retreated into the Balkans where they had rather more success in establishing themselves north of the Aegean.

 
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A Roman container for cremated remains, often in the shape of a box and usually made of marble. The name of the deceased was typically inscribed in a panel on one side while the other faces were decorated with garlands.

 
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A ceramic vessel used to contain the cremated remains of one or more individuals for burial. Such urns were not always specially made for the purpose; many are in fact ordinary domestic vessels selected for the purpose and ending up, in archaeological terms, in a burial context.

 
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Mercury sulphide (HgS) occurring as a red ore that was used in ancient times as a colouring agent.

 
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A general term used to refer to a range of hunter-gatherer cultures living in the extreme northern latitudes of Eurasia. Based around hunting reindeer, elk, and seal, these communities remained hunter-gatherers long after groups to the south adopted farming. Trade between the hunters and the farmers took place, however, especially in amber. Some circumpolar communities acquired pottery-making through these contacts. Rock art is found in some areas, mainly depicting hunting scenes as well as equipment such as skis, sledges, and skin boats. Also known as the Arctic Stone Age cultures.

 
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