Additional information and SEM imaging for: Beetle body parts as a funerary element in a cremation grave from the Hallstatt cemetery in Domasław, south-west Poland

The Domasław cemetery, dating to the Hallstatt period and excavated between 2005 and 2007 by the Polish Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology in Wrocław, is among the most notable Early Iron Age burial sites in Central Europe. The site contains over 800 graves, nearly 300 of which feature internal wooden structures. The burials, assigned to the Hallstatt C and D phases, reveal a consistent use of ceramic assemblages alongside numerous imported objects such as swords, bronze vessels, personal ornaments, and toiletry items. This rich necropolis demonstrates the close cultural and trade connections between the local communities and prominent subalpine centres of the Hallstatt culture, as well as direct links to the Mediterranean region.

Finds of insects identified as Phyllobius viridicollis beetles, together with pollen of Taraxacum officinale (common dandelion), in one of the cremation graves at the Domasław cemetery reveal a more complex use of organic materials in Hallstatt-period funerary practices than previously understood. The presence of dandelion pollen, likely deposited during the plant’s flowering season in late spring or summer, suggests that the burial occurred during these warmer months, providing valuable insight into the seasonal timing of the interment.

The exceptional ornament, consisting of carefully strung pronota of Phyllobius viridicollis (green weevil) attached to a bronze harp-shaped fibula, demonstrates a highly sophisticated use of insect remains as symbolic or ritual elements within the burial context. This unique find highlights the diversity and cultural significance of organic materials in mortuary practices, which are often underrepresented in the archaeological record due to their perishable nature.

Together, these discoveries broaden our understanding of the cultural and ritual complexity at the Domasław cemetery and offer interpretative avenues for exploring the relationship between funerary symbolism, natural materials, and seasonal practices in the Early Iron Age.

Additional information and SEM imaging data related to these finds are provided as supplementary material to support further research and detailed analysis.