Death studies and memorialisation

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article serves as an introduction to the four articles which follow (Meaning and mnenomic in archaeological studies of death; Hospices as facilitators of memorialisation; A century of Armistice Day; Keep your Kodak busy) by placing them in the context of the broader study within which the research was completed - Remember Me. The Changing Face of Memorialisation. This study, funded by the AHRC and for which the author was Principal Investigator, explored the forms, purposes, roles, identities, emotions and behaviours - and the meanings attached to each - of memorialisation practice over time and in different socio-cultural contexts. The study concluded that though the face of memorialisation will inevitably reflect its historical, religious and socio-cultural context, its fundamental purposes remain constant and there are significant resonances over time and place in the ways in which these are translated into practice. The overarching conclusions concerning meaning-making and collective memory demonstrate the therapeutic potential in memorialising behaviours and practices and its contribution to the healing of grief.