Sipa Cremation Cemetery Investigations in Lihula Parish, western Estonia

Abstract

Archaeological investigations at the Sipa cremation cemetery in the village of Valuste, in historical Läänemaa, established the extent of the surviving part of the cemetery and defined the boundaries of the area requiring protection. Preliminary investigations and archaeological monitoring during topsoil stripping identified one inhumation burial containing unburnt bones, a small quantity of burnt human bone, and a total of 228 artefacts were recovered, in addition to 189 fragments of bronze alloy. The finds date mainly from the 10th to the 13th century and are typical of cremation burials from the Viking Age and the Final Iron Age. The results confirmed that the cemetery has a thin cultural layer with no structural features and has been significantly damaged by earlier metal-detector looting and subsequent ploughing. The surviving cemetery area was delineated on the basis of the investigations and designated a cultural monument in 2026.