The architecture and context of mortuary practices in the Neolithic period in north Wales
This thesis examines the megalithic chambers and associated buildings of the Neolithic period in north Wales. It is proposed that these buildings have been interpreted incorrectly through a reductionist paradigm which sees all formallydeposited human remains as funerary. The material in the study area is introduced, and placed into a historical context in terms of the history of archaeology in Wales, and a geographical context in terms of other NeolithiG evidence in the area. Three main explanatory discourses are identified which are considered to have determined a flawed interpretation: our own western understandings of and approaches to death; the understanding of the Neolithic period as an agricultural society based on kinship alliance and therefore involving an over-riding concern with notions of ancestry manifested through corpse treatment strategies; and the continued quest to identify the so-called 'origins' of megalithic chambers in earlier Neolithic societies outside of Britain. Having examined and critiqued these discourses in some detail, the thesis returns to a detailed consideration of material in the study area, examining the depositional acts undertaken at a number of excavated sites. This material
Leivers, Matthew Anthony
CC Archaeology
The architecture and context of mortuary practices in the Neolithic period in north Wales. This thesis examines the megalithic chambers and associated buildings of the Neolithic period in north Wales. It is proposed that these buildings have been interpreted incorrectly through a reductionist paradigm which sees all formallydeposited human remains as funerary. The material in the study area is introduced, and placed into a historical context in terms of the history of archaeology in Wales, and a geographical context in terms of other NeolithiG evidence in the area. Three main explanatory discourses are identified which are considered to have determined a flawed interpretation: our own western understandings of and approaches to death; the understanding of the Neolithic period as an agricultural society based on kinship alliance and therefore involving an over-riding concern with notions of ancestry manifested through corpse treatment strategies; and the continued quest to identify the so-called 'origins' of megalithic chambers in earlier Neolithic societies outside of Britain. Having examined and critiqued these discourses in some detail, the thesis returns to a detailed consideration of material in the study area, examining the depositional acts undertaken at a number of excavated sites. This material
architecture context mortuary_practice neolithic_period north_wales examines megalithic chamber associate building neolithic_period north_wales propose building interpret reductionist paradigm see human_remain funerary material study_area introduce place historical_context term history_archaeology wales geographical context term evidence area three_main explanatory discourse identify consider determined flaw interpretation western understanding approach death neolithic_period agricultural society base kinship alliance therefore involve over riding concern notion ancestry manifest corpse treatment strategy continue quest identify so_called origins megalithic chamber earlier_neolithic society outside britain examine discourse detail return detail consideration material study_area examine depositional act undertaken number excavate_site material