Table 2. The course of cremation


Time from setting on fire Description of situation or activity
0 (at 15:23)
Setting the pyre on fire downwind. Photo 1.
12 min Upper part of the pyre is on fire, the sow`s back has turned black, a piece of bone and horn fell off the body.
18 min
Back is burned. Photo 2.
27 min
Lower log layers of the pyre are on fire, the animal has collapsed. Photo 3.
35 min
Animal started to fall down the pyre, we adjusted its position. Photo 4.
38 min
Pyre is burned low. Photo 5.
50 min
We pushed the sow deeper into the flames. Photo 6.
52 min
The pyre is mostly burned, but the animal is still preserved. Photo 7 (by Lembi Lõugas).
56 min
Only the skull is more or less burned. Photo 8 (by Lembi Lõugas).
1 h
We added twigs and smaller logs. Photo 9 (by Lembi Lõugas).
1 h 46 min
We adjusted the fire, placed more brands on lower body. Photo 10 (by Lembi Lõugas).
2 h
The skull is burned white; flesh is preserved in the rear part of the body. Photo 11.
2 h 5 min
Second additional load of wood. Photo 12.
2 h 22 min
Hipbone, burned white, can be seen. The skull is decaying; a hole is burned in it. Photo 13 (by Lembi Lõugas).
2 h 27 min We added wood to the rear part of the body.
2 h 42 min
The animal is riven in two. There is still unburned flesh on the white-burned vertebrae. Photo 14 (by Lembi Lõugas).
2 h 47 min
We stirred the fire; the rear body is still not burned. Photo 15.
3 h
Shield boss and bronze plate are entirely complete. Photo 16.
3 h 5 min
We added some wood to the fire. Photo 17.
3 h 20 min
The clay vessel has fallen on its side but is still intact. Photo 18 (by Lembi Lõugas).
3 h 23 min
The front part of the skull is burned into bits. Photo 19 (by Lembi Lõugas).
3 h 41–44 min
We added more wood; two local spots are still unburned. We placed more wood there; some bones broke into pieces while the rear part of the body was adjusted. Photo 20.
4 h 4 min
Only pieces are left of the skull. Photo 21.
4 h 42 min
Single pieces of flesh can still be seen; the sow’s stomach also became visible. Photo 22 (by Lembi Lõugas).
5 h
Photo 23 (by Lembi Lõugas).
5 h 23 min
We stirred intensively the fire site; burnt bones were already very brittle and shattered easily. Photo 24 (by Lembi Lõugas).
6 h
All the flesh is burned; we pulled the last burning brand out of the fire and documented the dimensions of the fire site. Photo 25 (by Lembi Lõugas).

Folklore 37