The Gepiden of Viminacium during population migration. An anthropological contribution

The archaeological excavations at the cemetry Vise Grobalja on Viminacium were finished in the year 1985. Altogether 94 skeletons which were attributed to the Gepiden were examined anthropologically. The graveyard was dated about the middle of the 6th century. Of special importance were the 31 artificial deformed skulls. The deformation was done with a circular bandaging which is graphically illustrated. Farkas (1973), Winkler (1979) and Schr?ter (1988) identified the same type of bandaging on skulls of the ethnic migration period. The anthropological examination identified 46 as male and 27 as female skeletons: 16 were determined as infants and juveniles. About 5 skeletons were indeterminable because of their bad state of preservation. There was a deficit of women and infants. The average lifespan was less than 33 years. The influence or the presence of other anthropological types was not identified. But there should be further proof why, for example these groups of Gepiden from Viminacium have disappeared relatively rapidly from the historical stage and the Balkan.