Search Results (41)

This study analyses the funerary practices in hypogea (rock-cut tombs) of the Middle Bronze Age in southern Portugal with the aim of deepening our understanding of Bronze Age funerary rituals in southwestern Iberia. A total of 57 hypogea from seven archaeological sites were examined. The study followed an interdisciplinary approach integrating data from biological anthropology and archaeology, articulating chronology, osteological analysis, funerary architecture, and material culture. The hypogea date to the first half of the 2nd millennium BCE, corresponding to the regional Middle Bronze Age. Of the 95 individuals analysed, 82% were adults; females represented 34% and males 21% of the total sample. The hypogea present several architectural typologies, with entrances oriented towards southeast (30%), northeast (23%), southwest (22%), and northwest (22%), possibly related to moments of the solar cycle. Burials were single (54%), double (17%), or multiple (11%), with 68% primary inhumations and 32% secondary inhumations, reflecting the re-use of funerary spaces. Grave goods, present in 57% of the cases, were more frequent and diversified among women, including ceramic vessels (79%) and metal awls (61%). Like male individuals, women were also associated with weapons, suggesting an elevated social status for both sexes. Full article

The article presents the preliminary data from the excavation of the Azurrague 1 Dolmen (Ourém), carried out within the MEDICE II project, highlighting the importance of its location in a karstic landscape marked by a strong tradition of funerary cults in natural cavities. The dolmen structure features a heptagonal chamber and a short passage, with ritual deposits that include macrolithic tools, polished axes, ceramics, and human remains dated between the beginning of the Late Neolithic and the Middle Chalcolithic. The data indicates practices of secondary burial, continuity of regional lithic traditions, and a symbolic integration between exogenous architectural forms and endogenous ritual content established in caves. The proximity to caves with contemporary chronologies, such as Lapa da Furada, reinforces the coexistence of differentiated yet interconnected ritual spaces. Analogies with the Rego da Murta Megalithic Complex, caves and other sites in the Alto Nabão region support the hypothesis of a hybrid, long-lasting cultural system in which megalithic monumentalization is associated with ancestral symbolic practices. Full article

This article reexamines the gold necklace excavated from the Sui-dynasty tomb of Li Jingxun (李静训, 600–608 CE), shifting attention from stylistic attribution to ritual function and funerary context. While previous studies have emphasized Persian, Byzantine, or Indian influences, this study situates the necklace more plausibly within the Iranian–steppe cultural sphere and the Turkic–Sogdian exchange networks active along the Silk Roads in the late sixth and early seventh centuries. Through analysis of its segmented structure, polyhedral gold beads, pearl rondelle, nicolo intaglio clasp, and gemstone arrangement, the article identifies close technical and visual parallels in Central Asia and the wider Iranian world. The necklace is interpreted as an apotropaic object likely worn in life and placed in the tomb to extend its protective and guiding functions after death. Attention to bodily use, clasp orientation, and associated grave goods—especially a stemmed cup with Eurasian ritual associations—clarifies how the necklace operated within a Buddhist burial setting timed to Lichun 立春 (Beginning of Spring). Situating the object within the Li family’s Xianbei 鲜卑 background and documented connections with Sogdian communities, this study demonstrates how foreign ornaments were actively understood and integrated into Sui aristocratic funerary practice, rather than adopted as passive luxuries. Full article

Funerary archaeoentomology is the discipline that studies insects and other arthropods in archaeological contexts, with a particular focus on the funerary domain. The presence of specific species, such as necrophagous beetles or saprophagous flies, can provide crucial evidence regarding post-mortem conditions—whether bodies were left exposed to the air or buried suddenly after death—and whether they underwent particular preservation practices, such as desiccation or embalming. This study concentrates on entomological specimens collected from three mummified bodies at the Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona in the province of Verona (northeast Italy), aiming to reconstruct aspects of funerary practices, especially the season of death and the authenticity of the garments worn by the mummified individuals. Insects were manually collected from bodies belonging to three hermits living between the 17th and 19th centuries. A complex entomofauna consisting of Diptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, and minor taxa was collected and analyzed. Diptera puparia, primarily from the families Calliphoridae, Muscidae, and Fanniidae, were the most abundant entomological elements recovered. Their presence suggests potential exposure of the bodies before burial and indicates that death likely occurred during a mild period of the year (end of spring/beginning of autumn). The co-occurrence of holes caused by maggots on the hermits’ skin and their garments allows us to speculate about the authenticity of the clothing used during the funerary rituals. By combining entomological evidence with textile analysis, this research offers a more precise understanding of historical funerary practices within this devotional context. It sheds light on methods of managing human remains, burial traditions, and preservation techniques, particularly regarding the clothing of the deceased. Full article

Studies of prehistoric burials are fundamental for understanding cultural human evolution. Those found in the San Teodoro cave (northeastern Sicily) are significant for the discovery at the turn of the 1930s and 1940s of at least four individuals (ST1–ST4). About 15–16 kyr ago, the bodies of ST1–ST4 were intentionally buried, apparently in a manner original to the context of prehistoric burials, namely by covering them with a continuous layer of red ochre found to connect the graves. Since the earliest excavations, plagued by clandestine digging, there is no material memory of the stratigraphic transition from the burial layer to the subsequent anthropogenic deposit through the red ochre, and nothing certain is known about the orientation of ST3, the presence of grave goods and the ochre cover related to this burial. Moreover, there is no exhaustive knowledge of how much is actually left of the anthropogenic layers described in the old literature. Based on field observations and 3D reconstruction of ST3’s skull position and deposits at the San Teodoro site, we provide insights into anthropological issues, such as the rediscovery of the red ochre vestiges that reasonably covered the ST3 burial, and the burial context of this individual, and shed light on what actually remains of the stratigraphic units described in the 1940s. Full article

This research presents a methodological approach combining UAV-LiDAR technology and SfM photogrammetry for the comprehensive documentation and analysis of O Corro dos Mouros, a Bronze-to-Iron Age archaeological site in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The study evaluates both the capabilities and limitations of this integrated approach, focusing on a recently identified Roda-type structure, characterised by circular stone architecture and funerary-ritual functionality, dating between the 15th and 3rd centuries BC. The methodology combines RTK-corrected LiDAR (150 pts/m², ±5 cm accuracy) with 20.4 MP RGB imaging, overcoming vegetation cover while capturing surface details. The results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed methodology compared to public LiDAR (1 m resolution), offering more detailed and precise microtopographic data of the circular structure. The approach successfully addresses three key challenges: (1) dense vegetation penetration, (2) multi-phase stratigraphic documentation, and (3) non-invasive monitoring of sensitive sites. The centimetre-accurate 3D models (publicly available via Sketchfab) provide both research-grade data for analysing construction phases and contextual relationships with nearby rock art/megaliths, and engaging visualisations for heritage interpretation. This work establishes a replicable technical framework optimised for high-resolution archaeological documentation, with direct applicability to similar ritual landscapes (hillforts, burial mounds) across the region. Full article

This article presents the first results of the zooarchaeological analysis of Chalcolithic levels of the Barrio del Castillo site (Torrejón de Ardoz), located within the Aldovea complex, which also contains evidence from other prehistoric periods. The Barrio del Castillo sector reveals an occupation pattern characterized by pit and silo fields, a common phenomenon in the Tagus Middle Valley’s Prehistory. This study focuses on the Chalcolithic phase, which exhibits two types of faunal accumulations: one linked to domestic activities (referred to as domestic assemblages), and another with a more symbolic character, involving the burial of articulated or semi-articulated animals, mainly dogs, designated as ritual deposits. The first type of accumulation is dominated by domestic species like caprines (sheep and goats) and cattle. Other domestic species, like pigs and dogs, alongside wild species, like horses and deer, appear in smaller quantities. On the other hand, ritual deposits are largely dominated by dogs in the Chalcolithic phase. This paper emphasizes the marked contrast between the two types of accumulations, domestic and ritual, and highlights the implications that these might have toward a better understanding of the world of the first metallurgical communities of the inner Iberian Peninsula. Full article

This article examines four block-printed Mahāpratisarā dhāraṇī amulets from late Tang to early Song China, highlighting how Sanskrit-script texts circulated in everyday religious life. Through a philological and visual analysis, it reveals a decentralised dhāraṇī culture shaped by variant bījākṣara (seed syllable) arrangements, divergent textual recensions, and diverse ritual uses—from burial and temple consecration to daily wear and cave enshrinement. Rather than static texts, these amulets reflect dynamic interactions among sacred sound, material form, and vernacular Buddhist practice, offering rare insight into non-canonical transmission and popular engagement with Indic scripture. Full article

In July 2024, the “Investigating the Archaeology of Death in Pompeii Research Project” carried out a scientific and methodical excavation of the areas outside two of the gates to the city of Pompeii. One of them is the funerary area of Porta Nola (next to the tomb of Obellio Firmo) and the other is outside Porta Sarno area (east of the tomb of Marcus Venerius Secundius). The investigated funerary area to the east of Porta Sarno corresponds with the area excavated in 1998 for the construction of the double Circumvesuviana rails. The 1998 excavations recorded the presence of more than 50 cremation burial sites, marked by stelae (columelle) and a monument with an arch, which are delineated by a boundary wall. The tombs were initially dated to the Late Republican period. In order to carry out comprehensive studies of the funerary area uncovered in 1998, a four metre by four metre trench was stratigraphically excavated. This investigation allowed mapping of the area and the carrying out of archaeological analysis and bioarchaeological studies in order to answer the questions that guided our archaeological research, such as whether the funerary area was abandoned and, if so, when? What was the chronological succession, monumentality, and prestige of this funerary space? Was it a single family and private funerary enclosure, or was it an open public space? How were this funerary area and the spaces destined to preserve the memory of the deceased managed? How were the funerary and mortuary rituals and gestures articulated and what did they consist of? Our methodical excavation discovered a monumental tomb which allows us to answer many of the questions raised by our research. This extraordinary monument consists of a wide wall with several niches containing the cremated remains of the deceased built into its structure and which is crowned by a relief of a young couple. The symbolism of the carved accessories of the wife may identify her as a priestess of Ceres. Additionally, the quality of the carving in the sculptures and their archaic characteristics suggest a Republic period dating, which is uncommon in southern Italy. Full article

In zooarchaeological research, animal bone fractures can result from various processes including slaughtering, dismemberment, marrow/grease extraction, craft processing, carnivore gnawing/trampling, sediment compression, bioturbation, and recovery bias. These fractures are further influenced by bone freshness/dryness and environmental temperature. The animal bones analysed in this study, excavated from Han dynasty tombs in the Xinxiang Plain New District, China, represent ritual offerings. These specimens exhibit distinct truncation features—chop surfaces, rough planes, and fracture traces—created by ancient iron tools for culinary purposes such as stewing preparation or consumption facilitation. These characteristics differ significantly, from the V-shaped butchery marks produced by stone/bronze tools and fracture patterns from marrow/grease extraction to post-depositional breakage formed during burial processes. In this study, steel tools were employed in the rocking slicing and rolling slicing of animal bones, complemented by techniques such as breaking to sever bone shafts. Subsequently, the marks on the cross-sections were observed using a stereomicroscope, and the results were compared and analysed with the materials from Han dynasty tombs unearthed at Xinxiang city, Henan Province. From the comparison between experimental observation results and archaeological materials, it is evident that the fine processing of meat-bearing bone materials mainly involved the use of rocking and rolling slicing methods. The cross-sections of the slices revealed shearing surfaces, rough patches, bone splinters, and sliced ends. The shearing surfaces in particular exhibited numerous visible trace characteristics, with the types and quantities of these traces varying with different cutting tools. This study holds significant reference value for exploring cutting tools and techniques in antiquity. Full article

The canonical limitations on stūpa burial for ordinary monks and prohibitions on non-Buddhist stūpas underwent significant changes in medieval China. A key question emerges when considering how the use of stūpas expanded beyond honoring the Buddha and saints to include lay individuals. People’s interpretation of stūpas—whether they were clergy or lay followers—varied based on their distinct social contexts, living circumstances, and religious beliefs. This article examines lay participation in the stūpa forest at Mount Zhongnan in Chang’an during the seventh and eighth centuries, drawing primarily on inscriptions evidence. By reassessing funerary stūpas erected for laypeople at Mount Zhongnan, this article calls for a reconsideration of the traditional sectarian view of lay-oriented funeral rituals. Even within the laity, motivations for constructing funerary stūpas differed. For some lay Buddhists, the Three Stages teachings influenced their burial practices, while for others without a direct connection to this community, stūpa burials were often more personal, centered on family commemoration. This study highlights the interplay between religious rituals and social structures, as evidenced by the historical and cultural significance of specific material culture. Full article

Systematic studies on Late Islamic cemeteries that integrate architectural, ritual, and biological aspects remain relatively rare, particularly in Islamic countries or regions with an active Muslim presence. Typically, available research focuses more on epigraphic and artistic features. Since 2018, excavations at the Cathedral and surveys in the ruins of the city of Adulis (Massawa, Eritrea) have uncovered 326 Muslim graves: six dating to the 15th and 18th centuries CE and 320 attributed to the mid-19th to the early 20th century CE. These discoveries have enabled, for the first time in Eritrea, a detailed scientific study of the biological characteristics of the human remains, the funerary architecture, and the burial rites of Muslim communities from the 15th to the early 20th century. The skeletal remains were analyzed through taphonomic and anthropological studies. The graves were categorized into various typologies based on their structural features, while evidence of funerary rituals was documented as indicative elements of the burial practices adopted. These findings were further enriched by ethnographic sources and collaborative work with local communities, who acted as custodians of the historical memory and traditions of the region. The results provide insights into a historical period of Eritrea that is otherwise poorly documented. More broadly, they contribute to the understanding of the history of the Horn of Africa, a region with limited data from funerary and archaeological contexts. The Muslim cemeteries of Adulis represent the most extensively investigated Muslim burial site in recent years, providing critical insights into the historical Muslim presence in the region. These findings also allow researchers to hypothesize the succession of various communities that chose Adulis as a central location for interring their deceased, reflecting its enduring significance as a focal point for cultural and ritual practices across different periods. Full article

Death is a painful reality that strikes and affects all human beings. Death knows no boundaries, race, age, gender, belief system or status. It affects the family; the social, political and economic networks of the deceased and the community at large. Death comes with different challenges that require coping mechanisms. While Africans from all walks of life use different approaches to help the bereaved deal with death and loss, the church has become the biggest role player in attending to this crisis. Although the church is a latecomer in the lives of African people in general, for the people of Collins Chabane Municipality in particular, it is given priority when death strikes. This article seeks to articulate how the church has become central to the death and burial rituals in that municipality. To that end, the researcher conducted a review of data collected through individual and focus group interviews carried out with traditional community leaders (local chiefs) in the municipality on the theme: The erosion of postcolonial African funeral traditions in rural South Africa (Limpopo). Full article

The cemetery of the Church of Santi Simone e Giuda in Borca di Cadore (Belluno province, Veneto region, Italy) was excavated between 2021 and 2023 as part of an archaeological intervention. The excavation area yielded a total of 21 graves dating back to the 18th–19th century; this was intriguing due to the presence of grave goods and taphonomic indicators that allowed these burials to be interpreted as clothed burials. This contribution examines 14 of the 21 graves, representing the available sample considering preservation conditions. Fieldwork was carried out through close synergy between archaeological and anthropological methodologies, involving careful excavation to verify funerary rituals through taphonomic data analysis. Anthropological methods were applied to determine the biological profile of the individuals, while aspects related to their health status were investigated through paleopathological analyses. Data obtained from field and laboratory observations were cross-referenced with historical and anthropological-cultural data from bibliographic and archival research. Reconstructing the social status of the deceased within the burial context is crucial for understanding the social and cultural dynamics of past populations, achievable only through a biocultural approach integrating information from archaeology, cultural anthropology, and bioarchaeology. Modern burial contexts offer privileged realities due to abundant historical and anthropological-cultural documentation, allowing for a more precise contextualization of bioarchaeological findings with significant support from documentary sources. Studies applied to these periods closer to the present enable the continuous refinement of an investigative method attentive to the synergy of different aspects of biocultural research, enhancing the importance of this approach in reconstructing the life histories of populations. Full article

This paper explores the rituals enacted in or connected with two medieval churches, one walrus ivory cross and a central topic of medieval devotion, Christ’s passion. During Easter Week these memorialised the site in Jerusalem dedicated to the burial of Christ, the holiest place in Christendom. It focuses on the physical elements, the spaces, the paintings and sculpture, the ceremonial objects and relics and the performative nature of rituals associated with them. The Regularis Concordia, composed in Winchester at the end of the 10th century for the use of Benedictine monasteries included sung liturgical enactments based on the gospel accounts of Christ’s burial and resurrection. At the same time, in Saxony, the Abbey at Gernrode was founded for the use of women, secular canonesses, with a space in the south aisle that seems to have represented Christ’s place of burial and was later incorporated into two chambers evoking the Holy Sepulchre Chapel in Jerusalem. In the 12th century in Winchester Cathedral, a Holy Sepulchre Chapel was decorated with wall paintings depicting Christ’s death and resurrection. Around this time, the walrus ivory cross known as the Cloisters Cross was created and appears to have been designed for use in the increasingly elaborate liturgical enactments. The paintings at Winchester Cathedral, the sculpture at Gernrode and the Cloisters Cross each evidence the significance of evoking Christ’s passion and how liturgical space and objects served to bring it to life. Full article