The human and animal remains

Abstract

This sample of nearly 220,000 human bones from the Circle is large by any standard, and especially for a Neolithic site. The first excavations of Mal Saflieni, the only other known comparable site on Malta, failed to record any human bone, even though much was found. The second excavations of Mal Saflieni have concentrated more on the structure of the entrance (Pace 2000). Other excavations in Malta have only recovered small samples (Pike 1971b). The Circle sample is, therefore, difficult to compare, although this will be attempted both here and in Chapter 14. Detailed population studies remain elusive in spite of the large number of remains, given its disarticulated nature. The primary aim therefore, has been to analyse how parts of the body were redistributed across the site, and assess the various dimensions of the population, in so far as a mixed collective funerary ritual allows.