In the shadow of the Church : burial practices in the Wessex heartlands c.600-1100 AD
This thesis examines the impact of the introduction of Christianity and the ensuing consolidation of the position of the Anglo-Saxon church on burial practices between c. 600-1100AD in the Wessex heartlands. At the core of this study is a survey of the burial evidence in the counties of Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Oxfordshire (below the Thames), Somerset and Wiltshire. This data is then used to examine the influence of the Church on the treatment of the body, grave type and grave variations, and on the commemoration of the dead. This study also examines the evidence for the development of churchyard burial. Finally, the impact of the re-emergence of urban centres on burial is investigated through the use of two cases studies focusing on early medieval Southampton and Winchester. This study demonstrates that the initial impact of the Church on burial practices was limited and that most of the changes seen in mortuary behaviour in the seventh and even eighth century should be seen predominately as the result of other factors. In contrast, by the late Saxon period, the Church appears to have had a major influence over burial practices and it had become inextricably linked with burial and
Cherryson, Annia
In the shadow of the Church : burial practices in the Wessex heartlands c.600-1100 AD. This thesis examines the impact of the introduction of Christianity and the ensuing consolidation of the position of the Anglo-Saxon church on burial practices between c. 600-1100AD in the Wessex heartlands. At the core of this study is a survey of the burial evidence in the counties of Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Oxfordshire (below the Thames), Somerset and Wiltshire. This data is then used to examine the influence of the Church on the treatment of the body, grave type and grave variations, and on the commemoration of the dead. This study also examines the evidence for the development of churchyard burial. Finally, the impact of the re-emergence of urban centres on burial is investigated through the use of two cases studies focusing on early medieval Southampton and Winchester. This study demonstrates that the initial impact of the Church on burial practices was limited and that most of the changes seen in mortuary behaviour in the seventh and even eighth century should be seen predominately as the result of other factors. In contrast, by the late Saxon period, the Church appears to have had a major influence over burial practices and it had become inextricably linked with burial and
shadow church burial_practice wessex examines_impact introduction christianity ensue consolidation position anglo_saxon church burial_practice wessex heartland core_study survey burial_evidence county berkshire devon dorset hampshire isle_wight oxfordshire thames somerset wiltshire data_use examine influence church treatment body grave type grave variation commemoration dead study also_examine evidence development burial finally impact re_emergence urban_centre burial investigate use two_case study_focus early_medieval southampton winchester study_demonstrate initial impact church burial_practice limit change see mortuary_behaviour seventh even see factor contrast late_saxon period church appear major influence burial_practice become inextricably_link burial