Birds, beasts and burials : a study of the human-animal relationship in Romano-British St. Albans
The human-animal relationship is one that has been pondered by scholars for ages. It has been used to define both what it means to be âhumanâ and what it means to be âanimalâ. This thesis examines human-animal relationships as found in the mortuary record within the area of Verulamium which is now situated in the modern town of St. Albans. Once considered to be a major centre, the mortuary rites given to its people suggest high variabilities in the approach to the âpersonhoodâ of certain classes of both people and animals. While 480 human individuals were examined, only a small percentage was found to have been afforded the rite of a human-animal co-burial. It is this small percentage that will be examined in greater detail. Of major concern are the treatments to both the human and animal pre- and post- burial and the point at which the animal enters into the funerary practice. These questions are investigated primarily by using zooarchaeological and human osteological techniques, but also refer to primarily literary sources and other data. This analysis is situated in a broader theoretical approach on human-animal relationships and which adopts a non-anthropocentric view point. In order to investigate
Hill, Brittany Elayne
Birds, beasts and burials : a study of the human-animal relationship in Romano-British St. Albans. The human-animal relationship is one that has been pondered by scholars for ages. It has been used to define both what it means to be âhumanâ and what it means to be âanimalâ. This thesis examines human-animal relationships as found in the mortuary record within the area of Verulamium which is now situated in the modern town of St. Albans. Once considered to be a major centre, the mortuary rites given to its people suggest high variabilities in the approach to the âpersonhoodâ of certain classes of both people and animals. While 480 human individuals were examined, only a small percentage was found to have been afforded the rite of a human-animal co-burial. It is this small percentage that will be examined in greater detail. Of major concern are the treatments to both the human and animal pre- and post- burial and the point at which the animal enters into the funerary practice. These questions are investigated primarily by using zooarchaeological and human osteological techniques, but also refer to primarily literary sources and other data. This analysis is situated in a broader theoretical approach on human-animal relationships and which adopts a non-anthropocentric view point. In order to investigate
burial study human_animal_relationship romano british human_animal_relationship scholar age use define mean_human mean animal examines human_animal_relationship find mortuary_record within_area situate modern town consider major centre mortuary rite give people suggest high variability personhood certain class_people animal human individual examine small percentage find afford rite human_animal burial small percentage examine great_detail major_concern treatment human_animal pre__post burial point animal enters funerary_practice question investigate primarily use zooarchaeological human osteological technique also_refer primarily literary_source data analysis situate broad_theoretical human_animal_relationship adopts non anthropocentric view point order_investigate