The lecture concerns the issue of the presence of animal remains in Slavic early medieval cremation burials from the area of present-day Poland. This issue is poorly researched, but it seems important for research on Slavic funeral customs and eschatological ideas. This phenomenon is recorded in Slavic cremation burials from the 6th/7th to the 13th century. Most graves with animal remains date from the 8th to the 10th century. The finds are dominated by the remains of breeding animals: mainly horses and cattle. In addition, the remains of pigs, sheep or goats, birds, dogs and cats have been recorded. The lecture will present a number of hypotheses concerning the interpretation of the phenomenon of the presence of animal bone remains in early medieval cremation graves, their symbolism and meaning.
