Page 47 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol. 5(2) (2017)
P. 47
ia universitatis Forensics and Archaeology:
47The Ethical Approach to Graves Excavation and Research
Zdravka Hincak, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Krešimir Filipec, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Ali obstaja razlika med metodami in tehnikami, ki se uporabljajo v arheologiji in forenzični arheologi-
ji? Opisan je grob z arheološkega najdišča Josipovac - Verušed pri Osijeku (Slavonija, Hrvaška) odkrit
leta 2007, ki prepleta oz. povezuje obe področji. Med zaščitnimi arheološkimi izkopavanji na trasi avto-
ceste (A 5) Beli Manastir - Osijek so odkrili grob neznanega vojaka iz druge svetovne vojne. Pojasnjen
je pomen poudarjanja konteksta, ki je omogočil umestitev odkritij oz. najdb v forenzični okvir. Po pri-
merjavi metod, tehnik in tehnologij, ki jih uporabljata arheologija in forenzična arheologija, smo posku-
šali ugotoviti, kaj pomenita etika in bioetika za obe disciplini ter kako razmišljati o teh pojmih v arheo-
loškem smislu.
Ključne besede: forenzična arheologija, grob, etika, druga svetovna vojna
Is there a difference between the methods and techniques used in archeology and forensic archaeology?
A grave from archaeological site Josipovac – Verušed near Osijek (Slavonia, Croatia) in 2007, which per-
meates both areas was described. The burial pit of an unknown soldier from World War II was revealed
during an archaeological rescue excavation on the route of the highway (A 5) Beli Manastir – Osijek.
The importance of giving emphasis to the context, which enabled classification of the findings in the fo-
rensic framework, was explained. After the comparison of methods, techniques and technologies used
by both archaeology and forensic archaeology, we have tried to determine what meaning have ethics for
the two disciplines, as well as how to think about these concepts in the archaeological sense.
Key words: forensic archaeology, grave, ethics, World War II
Development of the archaeological field
methods and techniques did not fol- The first organized archaeological excava-
low the interest of beautiful, antique, tions were carried out in Croatia at the 19th cen-
tury and they slowly laid foundations for today’s
valuable objects that interested antiquarians surveys, introducing the very base of archaeolog-
from the very beginning. Indeed, since the pre- ical methods of the field research: setting up a
historic times, archaeological sites’ and graves’ one-meter grid square for excavation or a base-
robbers have mercilessly devastated the world line offset. Together with classical tools for man-
heritage. But if we mention the history of ar- ual excavating, such as shovels, digging spades or
chaeological research we also need to mention mattocks, there are also mentioned small excava-
the first archaeological excavations of the civi- tion tools for fine digging and cleaning, a simple
lizations that left their ruins in the Mediterra- trowel or a brush to sweep the dirt.
nean, in the Middle East and later, in Ameri- The archaeological field research shows
cas. not only what has remained after people who
doi: https://doi.org/10.26493/2350-5443.5(2)47-57
47The Ethical Approach to Graves Excavation and Research
Zdravka Hincak, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Krešimir Filipec, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Ali obstaja razlika med metodami in tehnikami, ki se uporabljajo v arheologiji in forenzični arheologi-
ji? Opisan je grob z arheološkega najdišča Josipovac - Verušed pri Osijeku (Slavonija, Hrvaška) odkrit
leta 2007, ki prepleta oz. povezuje obe področji. Med zaščitnimi arheološkimi izkopavanji na trasi avto-
ceste (A 5) Beli Manastir - Osijek so odkrili grob neznanega vojaka iz druge svetovne vojne. Pojasnjen
je pomen poudarjanja konteksta, ki je omogočil umestitev odkritij oz. najdb v forenzični okvir. Po pri-
merjavi metod, tehnik in tehnologij, ki jih uporabljata arheologija in forenzična arheologija, smo posku-
šali ugotoviti, kaj pomenita etika in bioetika za obe disciplini ter kako razmišljati o teh pojmih v arheo-
loškem smislu.
Ključne besede: forenzična arheologija, grob, etika, druga svetovna vojna
Is there a difference between the methods and techniques used in archeology and forensic archaeology?
A grave from archaeological site Josipovac – Verušed near Osijek (Slavonia, Croatia) in 2007, which per-
meates both areas was described. The burial pit of an unknown soldier from World War II was revealed
during an archaeological rescue excavation on the route of the highway (A 5) Beli Manastir – Osijek.
The importance of giving emphasis to the context, which enabled classification of the findings in the fo-
rensic framework, was explained. After the comparison of methods, techniques and technologies used
by both archaeology and forensic archaeology, we have tried to determine what meaning have ethics for
the two disciplines, as well as how to think about these concepts in the archaeological sense.
Key words: forensic archaeology, grave, ethics, World War II
Development of the archaeological field
methods and techniques did not fol- The first organized archaeological excava-
low the interest of beautiful, antique, tions were carried out in Croatia at the 19th cen-
tury and they slowly laid foundations for today’s
valuable objects that interested antiquarians surveys, introducing the very base of archaeolog-
from the very beginning. Indeed, since the pre- ical methods of the field research: setting up a
historic times, archaeological sites’ and graves’ one-meter grid square for excavation or a base-
robbers have mercilessly devastated the world line offset. Together with classical tools for man-
heritage. But if we mention the history of ar- ual excavating, such as shovels, digging spades or
chaeological research we also need to mention mattocks, there are also mentioned small excava-
the first archaeological excavations of the civi- tion tools for fine digging and cleaning, a simple
lizations that left their ruins in the Mediterra- trowel or a brush to sweep the dirt.
nean, in the Middle East and later, in Ameri- The archaeological field research shows
cas. not only what has remained after people who
doi: https://doi.org/10.26493/2350-5443.5(2)47-57
