Neolithic gays

[frualeydis]

In this photo you see the identical grave goods of two men buried together in what is now Denmark in the neolithic age.



According to Sunniva, one of the participants of the NESAT conference, these burials are not uncommon (I have no idea, I'm not an archaeologist). The accompanying text says that special brotherhoods were formed among the men and that these two apparently were members of one of those. Well, that may be the case, but as Sunniva pointed out: when a man and a woman are buried together they are always interpreted as lovers/married, so why can't it be so when it's two men? Just because western societies after the Greeks have seen same-sex sexual relationships as unnatural doesn't mean that that was the opinion in the neolithic age. Maybe they were lovers, maybe men and women buried together belong to the same religious or social organizations and wouldn't dream of being a romantic couple?
Since I'm a romantic I prefer thinking of both types of graves as couples' graves, however.

Comments

[operafantomet.livejournal.com]

I think you're on to something. I actually think our perception of gender and relationships are very narrow (yes, even in our modern times, because it's either pro or con, few are "whatever" to the matter), and when people think of "old days" they don't see the variety of traditions and philosophies that has overlapped eachother.

Concerning the couple above... while knowing very little of the subject and era, many brotherhoods have been versions of military pederasty, where sexual relations were not just encouraged, but also necessairy to be able to... I dunno, fight for the same course and risk one's life for eachother, or whatever the philosophy were. There are tales of men who were equally fond of their wifes as they were in battle comrades whom was/were also their lover. Maybe such comrades were buried together at times?

Just a thought.

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

Hi, I was just browsing a friend's friend's list. Hope you don't mind me giving my 2 cents of the subject:
Actually, in the case of idential grave goods, I'd assume twins or brothers. The idea of dress siblings the same, or having siblings all dress and own similar things, is not a new one by any strech.

[http://users.livejournal.com/aure_/]

Ooh, that's very interesting! I like the romantic alternative too.

I didn't even saw these grave goods. My feet were already aching so much due to the new but oh so pretty shoes, that I only looked the most obvious stuff in the exhibition (namely the textiles) and just skimmed through everything else.

[mirazandar.livejournal.com]

what are the round things.

Lovers or brothes seem nicer than weird brotherhoods, - but are there similar stuff with identical women's graves?