Temaomtale ARK215

Death is a universal human experience, but the variety of responses is staggering. Over time, and in various regions of the world, people have been buried, cremated, exposed or eaten; they have been laid to rest singly or in groups, in elaborate tombs, simple graves, pots or boats; and accompanied with lavish grave goods or with nothing at all. How can we make sense of this diversity? And what can this tell us about past societies?

This module briefly introduces the study of funerary archaeology. It covers theoretical approaches to the interpretation of funerary evidence and introduces some of the scientific techniques used in the study of skeletal remains (palaeopathology, isotopic techniques, ageing, sexing). We then discuss issues of remembrance and look at the ethical issues surrounding the display and storage of human remains in museums.