Taken to the grave : an archaeozoological approach assessing the role of animals as crematory offerings in first millennium AD Britain
The crematory funerary rites practiced by those living in parts of mainland Britain during the first millennium AD included burning complete or parts of animals on the pyre. This thesis highlights the potential for archaeozoological analysis of faunal pyre goods using assemblages from the first millennium AD as a dataset. Experimental study and the integration of current research from a number of disciplines is used to suggest that although pyrolysis and cremation practices fragment and distort burnt bone assemblages, careful analysis can reveal a wealth of data leading to the interpretation of various forms of pyre good. The results of the author's analysis of material from the sites of Brougham, Cumbria, St. Stephen's, Hertfordshire, Castleford, West Yorkshire and Heath Wood, Derbyshire are combined with data from other published cemeteries to suggest a series of chronological and regional continuities in the use of animals but with a distinct change at the start of the Early Medieval period. The results from Brougham are particularly significant as they alter preconceived views on the utilisation of animals in Romano-British funerary practice. Cremation burials in first millennium AD Britain are shown to
Worley, Fay L.
Anglo-Saxon Britain ; Animal bones ; Archaeology ; Cremation ; Grave goods ; Iron Age Britain ; Roman ; Taphonomy ; Crematory funerary rites ; Faunal pyre ; Archaeozoological analysis ; Romano-British funerary practice
Taken to the grave : an archaeozoological approach assessing the role of animals as crematory offerings in first millennium AD Britain. The crematory funerary rites practiced by those living in parts of mainland Britain during the first millennium AD included burning complete or parts of animals on the pyre. This thesis highlights the potential for archaeozoological analysis of faunal pyre goods using assemblages from the first millennium AD as a dataset. Experimental study and the integration of current research from a number of disciplines is used to suggest that although pyrolysis and cremation practices fragment and distort burnt bone assemblages, careful analysis can reveal a wealth of data leading to the interpretation of various forms of pyre good. The results of the author's analysis of material from the sites of Brougham, Cumbria, St. Stephen's, Hertfordshire, Castleford, West Yorkshire and Heath Wood, Derbyshire are combined with data from other published cemeteries to suggest a series of chronological and regional continuities in the use of animals but with a distinct change at the start of the Early Medieval period. The results from Brougham are particularly significant as they alter preconceived views on the utilisation of animals in Romano-British funerary practice. Cremation burials in first millennium AD Britain are shown to
taken grave archaeozoological assess_role animal offering first_millennium britain funerary_rite practice living part mainland britain first_millennium include burn complete part animal pyre highlight_potential archaeozoological analysis_faunal pyre good use assemblage first_millennium dataset experimental_study integration current number discipline use suggest although cremation practice fragment distort burn bone_assemblage careful_analysis reveal wealth data lead interpretation various_form pyre good author analysis material site cumbria hertfordshire west_yorkshire wood derbyshire combine data publish cemetery suggest series chronological_regional continuity use animal distinct change start early_medieval period particularly_significant alter view utilisation animal romano_british funerary_practice cremation_burial first_millennium britain show