Scientists and students from the Department of Anthropology at the Faculty of Science, MU, are once again preparing for their traditional anthropological and archaeological field research trip to the Hutterite Cemetery in Přibice, Brno region, which will take place in August. The burial ground for members of this reformist Christian society (who professed neo-baptism, and hence were also known as anabaptists) provides a unique insight into the biology and culture of this historical group and, more generally, into the issue of migration and interaction between immigrants and local groups.
Formed in the 16th century, the Hutterites, also known as Anabaptists (or Habans), represent a radical offshoot of Protestantism. Living in closed communities, they differed from the rest of the population in their way of life, which was based on the example of the first Christians, and their focus on the production of high-quality products.
“The Anabaptists came to Moravia from Switzerland and the Tyrol in the 16th century. So far, we have managed to confirm that, in terms of body structure, they were not so different from the local settlers. Analysis has shown that they had a very similar body height; thus, the saying “tall as a Haban” has yet to be confirmed in the Přibice burial ground”, said Tomáš Mořkovský, head of research.
To gain new insights into Hutterite eating habits, the researchers originally intended to investigate the distribution and species composition of intestinal parasites, the eggs of which, under optimal conditions, can be found in sediments from the abdominal cavity of buried individuals. Unfortunately, however, last year’s research showed that the sandy nature of the local soil is not suitable for preserving parasite eggs. This year, the plan is to test as many modern research methods as possible for investigating the Hutterites. For example, genetic analysis will be used on individual finds in order to provide information on their origin, the number of migratory waves and inter-relationships between groups of Anabaptists from different parts of Europe and between individuals within the Přibice burial ground.
Field research in Přibice will also continue. “The location of the cemetery in the southern part of the village cadastre, on the way to Ivaň (i.e. outside the built-up area), provides excellent preconditions for the possibility of exploring the cemetery over its entire original extent. Hutterite cemeteries are often completely destroyed, or are located in built-up areas; hence comprehensive research of an entire cemetery would be a completely unique undertaking in the context of research on Moravian Hutterites”, said Tomáš Mořkovský. In this year’s research season, researchers will focus on completely excavating the area where topsoil was removed back in 2018, with the aim of defining the full extent of the cemetery. This will also help in strategy planning for the coming years.
The research being undertaken at Přibice is also important as it allows future anthropologists to gain practical knowledge on how to conduct field research and allows them to participate in the subsequent processing and elaboration of the finds. Detailed anthropological analysis of the buried individuals is offered as diploma thesis topic to interested students.
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