The analysis of funerary and ritual practices in Wales between 3600-1200 BC based on osteological and contextual data
This thesis examines the character of Middle Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age (3600-1200 BC) funerary and ritual practices in Wales. This was based on the analysis of chronological (radiocarbon determinations and artefactual evidence), contextual (monument types, burial types, deposit types) and osteological (demographic and pyre technology) data from a comprehensive dataset of excavated human bone deposits from funerary and ritual monuments. Funerary rites in the Middle Neolithic (c. 3600-2900 BC) sometimes involved the deposition of single inhumation or cremation burials in inconspicuous pit graves. After a hiatus in the Late Neolithic (c. 2900-2400 BC), formal burials re-appeared in the Chalcolithic (c. 2500-2200 BC) with Beaker burials. However, formal burials remained relatively rare until the Early Bronze Age (c. 2200-1700 BC) when burial mounds, which often contained multiple burials, became the dominant type of funerary monument. Burial rites for this period most commonly involved the cremation of the dead. Whilst adult males were over-represented in inhumations, no age- or gender-based differences were identified in cremation burials. Patterns in grave good associations suggest that perceived age- and-gender-based
Tellier, GeneviĂšve
Burial practices ; Burial rites ;  Ritual practices ; Neolithic ; Bronze Age ; Wales ; Osteology ; Cremations ; Inhumations
The analysis of funerary and ritual practices in Wales between 3600-1200 BC based on osteological and contextual data. This thesis examines the character of Middle Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age (3600-1200 BC) funerary and ritual practices in Wales. This was based on the analysis of chronological (radiocarbon determinations and artefactual evidence), contextual (monument types, burial types, deposit types) and osteological (demographic and pyre technology) data from a comprehensive dataset of excavated human bone deposits from funerary and ritual monuments. Funerary rites in the Middle Neolithic (c. 3600-2900 BC) sometimes involved the deposition of single inhumation or cremation burials in inconspicuous pit graves. After a hiatus in the Late Neolithic (c. 2900-2400 BC), formal burials re-appeared in the Chalcolithic (c. 2500-2200 BC) with Beaker burials. However, formal burials remained relatively rare until the Early Bronze Age (c. 2200-1700 BC) when burial mounds, which often contained multiple burials, became the dominant type of funerary monument. Burial rites for this period most commonly involved the cremation of the dead. Whilst adult males were over-represented in inhumations, no age- or gender-based differences were identified in cremation burials. Patterns in grave good associations suggest that perceived age- and-gender-based
analysis funerary_ritual practice wales base osteological contextual data examines character middle neolithic middle_bronze_age funerary_ritual practice wales base analysis chronological radiocarbon_determination artefactual_evidence contextual monument type burial type deposit type osteological demographic pyre technology data comprehensive dataset excavate human_bone deposit funerary_ritual monument funerary_rite middle_neolithic sometimes involved deposition single inhumation cremation_burial pit graf hiatus late_neolithic formal_burial appeared chalcolithic beaker burial however formal_burial remain_relatively rare burial mound often_contain multiple burial become_dominant type funerary_monument burial_rite period commonly involved cremation dead whilst adult male over represented inhumation age gender based difference identify cremation_burial patterns grave_good association suggest perceive age and gender based