Funerary Research Articles

Dödens former och material

This text concerns recent excavations and interpretations about the large Early Iron Age burial ground Jordbro in Österhaninge, south of Stockholm. During three years between 2017-19, six low cairns, eleven small deposits of cremated bone, ceramics and bronze fragments without superstructure, and sixteen trial trenches were excavated in the previously untouched north-eastern part of the burial site. The small deposits were found close to the rock in the northernmost part of the burial ground and comprise a hitherto unknown phase of Bronze Age burials at Jordbro. The low cairns also provided novel information about the Early Iron Age view of death and burial. For example, the consistent asymmetry between the burial pit and the superstructures indicates a prolonged burial ritual where the latter was erected some time after the inhumation of the bodies. Moreover, the careful selection and use of stone and different minerals in the burials is interpreted as an intentionally compiled assemblage arranged for generative purposes rather than only to constitute memorials of dead individuals.

Cultural Exchanges between Macedonia and Thrace in the Fourth and Third Centuries BC

In the second half of the fourth and the first half of the third century B.C. elite burials in Macedonia and Thrace consisted of chamber tombs furnished with wooden or stone couches, vessels for eating and drinking, weapons, clothes, and jewels. Chamber tombs were usually covered with mounds and were accessible via built corridors. Macedonian tombs, however, were built underground while Thracian tombs were at ground level or higher. The Thracians preferred beehive tombs and corbel vault roofs, whereas Macedonian tombs were covered with the barrel vault, which was probably invented in Macedonia. The barrel vaults of Macedonian tombs were disguised behind elaborate architectural façades, but Thracian tombs generally lacked façades. The higher echelons of the Macedonian army complemented their defensive armor with iron pectorals carrying silver gilt decoration which were manufactured in Thrace or imitated Thracian models. After Philip II’s conquest of the Odrysian kingdom, the Macedonians introduced a burial ritual which involved transport amphorae, inspired by Thracian practice. The builders of Thracian tombs occasionally imitated the marble doors of Macedonian tombs. The drinking sets found in Thracian tombs have their closest parallels in Macedonia. The influence of Macedonian chamber tombs can be detected, among others, in the Naip tomb in southeastern Thrace and in a number of chamber tombs with barrel vaults in the Getic kingdom. The Sveshtari tomb, attributed to one of the rulers of the Getai, includes a wall-painting showing the ruler on horseback, wearing a ram’s horn over his right ear in imitation of Alexander the Great on the coinage of Lysimachos. This represents the pinnacle of Macedonian influence on the culture of Thrace.

The Church and African Mortuary Rites

There is no doubt that there is an existential conflict between African funeral rituals with certain Christian religious beliefs and social norms. Conflict over burial rituals and especially among the Agiriama people has led to tension between the community and Christian churches andparticularly the Catholic Church in Kilifi, Kenya. In order to avoid such conflicts, this article set out to explore the possibilities of enculturating some funeral rites, such as ‘Nyere za Mwezi,’ a cardinal post-burial ritual among the Agiriama community. The latter has continued to practice their traditions and culture associated with burial and funeral despite their conversion to Christianity and Islam, the two dominant religions in the region. This article primarily aims to analyze the Agiriama funeral rites, their symbolic meanings, and their significance to the community.It extends the discussion by examining the Roman Catholic Church's interpretation of those rituals such as ‘Nyere za Mwezi.’ It concludes by examining the challenges and opportunities for inculturation of‘Nyere za Mwezi,’ one of the most significant post-burial rituals that enhanced the community well-being. The article relied on both secondary and primary data based on informed interviews with 30 respondents, mainly priests, Kaya elders, and lay Christians.

"Nobody Knew . . . What Was Gonna Happen": Indigenous Loss and Grief During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Indigenous peoples have experienced higher rates of loss and death compared to the general population, partly due to historical loss. This qualitative inquiry focused on understanding Indigenous women's experiences of loss, grief, and death during the COVID-19 pandemic, involving 31 head-of-household Native American women from a southeastern US tribe. Reconstructive analysis of data from a community-based critical ethnography identified the following themes spanning the ecological levels of the FHORT: (a) loss of finances, (b) loss of structure and loss of self, (c) death due to COVID-19, (d) disrupted mourning and burial rituals, and (e) grief and extensive losses. Results indicate that the pandemic not only exacerbated historical loss, but interventions and models for working through grief and loss should not only be culturally tailored and promote healing across all ecological domains and include physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects, but should also address historical trauma, collectivist values, and traditional ways.

Spirituality in the Therapy Room

Therapeutic presence brings one’s whole self into the encounter with another in the therapy room. It is a fundamental aspect of the relationship between therapist and client, the cornerstone of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. Therapeutic presence can be strengthened through spirituality, meditation, mindfulness, or other practices such as the intention to enhance the therapeutic encounter for both client and therapist. Despite its importance, standard experimental techniques cannot readily measure and investigate therapeutic presence. However, reflective narratives can be used to explore the importance of strengthening therapeutic presence. The purpose of this paper is 1) to examine how one’s spiritual orientation offers the possibility to deepen the level of engagement within the therapeutic setting and 2) to illustrate, using reflective narratives, the use of presence and intention grounded in a spiritual orientation. The qualitative methodology of reflective narratives is ideally suited to illustrate the clinical issues presented in this paper. The requirements for reflexive engagement with one’s therapeutic practice and willingness to continually refine oneself outside of the therapy room are discussed. Three vignettes are provided illustrating 1) engaging through therapeutic presence with the client by use of imaginal exposure, 2) the use of intention to deepen connection and facilitate the sacred burial rites in the context of profound loss and trauma, 3) the negative consequences when the therapist is not fully present, 4) letting go of preconceived notions and judgments to be fully present with the client, and 5) using experiences from a spiritual practice throughout the encounters to enhance therapeutic presence. The implications for the practice of therapy are discussed with regard to spirituality, presence and intention as a way of being in the world over and above the discipline required to work as a therapist.

Manifestation and Management of Cultural Heritage: An Analysis of the Old Towns of Kenyan Coastal Region

The study examined the current manifestation of intangible and tangible cultural heritage of old towns of Lamu and Mombasa in the coastal region of Kenya, with a view of evaluating management efforts by heritage managers in the region. An exploratory research design with a mixed method approach was used to generate new ideas and assumptions regarding how cultural heritage is manifested. A sample size of 110 participants from both towns was selected through multistage cluster sampling, out of which 15 heritage managers, 40 community household leaders and 55 community elders were selected using purposive and snowball techniques. The study utilized semi structured interview guides, photography and observation as data collection methods. Descriptive analysis, content analysis-specifically attribution and designation analysis were used to analyze data. The study established that cultural heritage in the old towns is manifested through symbols, values and artefacts and architecture. Among the most evident manifestations in both old towns are in the form of wedding ceremonies, burial rituals, and limited cultural festivals especially during key religious practices Manifested architectural heritage undergoing shocks is restored for tourism purposes. However, intangible heritage is preserved, not for tourism purposes but as part of local’s way of life and as dictated by cultural values such as religion. Most organizations concerned with management of cultural heritage recognize its importance and have adapted reconstruction and restoration methods of tangible heritage especially old architecture. Among preferred recommendations were that tourism as the main economic activity in the region should be developed to benefit cultural heritage. The article advocates promoting resilience of heritage through gainful economic activities such as tourism to promote its posterity.

Conceptualising mass death through Palestinian texts amidst Gaza events 2023/24

ABSTRACT Following the Gaza events of 2023/24, this study examines how Palestinians understand mass death and mass destruction, exploring how can such a humanitarian catastrophe be framed within a coherent narrative. The focus is on the concept of sacrifice, analysed through a theoretical framework that distinguishes between meaningful sacrifices and absurd, meaningless deaths that categorises the victims as homo-sacer. Hence, this study aims to investigate the language and literature of the Palestinian people that regards to the 2023/24 Gaza events, and the way it re-conceptualises the mass death and destruction and its victims, between the concepts of sacrifice and homo-sacer. A sample of 120 literary and creative texts from the cultural magazine ‘Fusha for Palestinian Culture,’, 1 was examined using the methodology of thematic analysis. Four primary themes emerged from the texts: the active documentation, the speed and intensity of death and destruction, the form of death, namely handling of bodies and burial rituals, and lastly the implementation of myths from various traditions, including the duality of mythologising and demythologising Gaza and its inhabitants. I conclude that these four themes were elemental in the rhetoric process of sanctification of the mass and random death and destruction.

A Critical Analysis of Cremation Burials Within Some of the South African Tribes: A Contextual Practical Theological View

The colonial erosion of African traditional and cultural practices continues to dislocate the African identity in different ways. The changes and shifts made to burial practices have simply paved a way for the colonial agenda to bring about more Western ways of doing things, burial rites included. It is important to note that cremation, as another way of burying the dead, is slowly becoming a norm for black people. This paper intends to not only unveil the causes and contestations around cremation burials, but to also seek an African theological response as a way to guide black African culture moving forward.

På höjderna och i stadens utkant. Gravfält och gravgårdar i det äldsta Sigtuna

This article discusses late Viking Age mortuary practices in the town of Sigtuna during the early urban phase (c. 980–1100 AD) with focus on the so-called graveyards (Sw. gravgårdar): cemeteries where the dead were inhumed mainly in accordance with Christian customs, but that lacked churches. It aims to trace cultural, social, or religious communities among the early town dwellers based on an analysis of their burial rituals, in combination with results of osteological and bioarcheological studies of their physical remains. The paper shows that burial customs varied within the early townscape: the dead were laid to rest under visible grave constructions in exposed topographical locations, as well as on flat-ground cemeteries in lower terrain close to the settlement area or at early churchyards. Moreover, diversity in mortuary customs, sex and age distribution, gender division, and diet can be detected between individual cemeteries, indicating that they were used by different urban groups that to some extent parted from their dead in different ways. The results of bioarcheological analyses indicate a heterogenous early urban population, comprising people from the Mälaren area, and also from distant regions. The burial customs reflect this specific urban situation, bearing witness to both long-distance contacts and roots in local mortuary traditions.

Preliminary Results of the Study of Kuraily-Asar Necropolis

The article deals with the introduction into scientific discourse new data on the burial structures of the Dzhetyasar culture of Eastern Aral Sea region. In 2023, archaeological work was carried out on the necropolis of one of the Dzhetyasar monuments – the Kuraily-asar fortified settlement. The research was carried out by the “Aral Sea detachment” of the Margulan Institute of Archeology an under the leadership of A. Ongarruly and A.A. Tazhekeyev. The four underground burial sites were uncovered, as a result of the excavations. All the mounds have an identical design and burial rite. The mounds are surrounded by a moat with an entrance on the north and south sides, in the center of which there is a burial pit. Burials: three of them were women, and one was a child, were located on the dorsal surface and the head was oriented to the north. The anthropological characteristics of the burials show that the ontological constitution of post cranium is generally characterized by a morphological variant of the addition allocated to the Dzhetyasar population. The burial inventory included ceramic vessels and spindle whorl, buckles, a mirror and an amulet, the analysis of which allowed these mounds to be attributed to the Dzhetyasar II stage and dated to the II-IV centuries AD.

New data of historical and archaeological topography of Kirov and Slobodskoy ob- tained through 2015–2022 state historical and cultural expertise

The article analyses C-shaped all-cast earrings from complexes dated 4th-7th century. There is a collection of artefacts from 79 monuments (France, Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria). Precise topological & geodesic data are used to draw the map of embellishments. In the first place C-shaped earrings are found in the Northern Black Sea region. In terms of chronology they were popular for an extended period of time from antiquity (6th-5th century BC till early Middle Ages 4th-5th century AD). C-shaped earrings in complexes of 4th-7th centuries are evident of the Alans’ interference. However, it is assumed that the Huns adopted the Alans’ aesthetics and symbols. Caucasus, Northern Black Sea region and Lower Volga region in the first half of the 1st millennium were occupied by Sarmatian tribes (the Aorsi, the Alans) and the Huns. This territory is found with more than a half of our complex selection with C-shaped earrings. The Danube region (Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria) is another region discovered with archaeological materials that include this jewellery. Besides, C-shaped earrings are found in Brittany in the 5th century burial ground La Mézière (near Orléans), in Burgundy and Normandy. In the South-West France (Occitania, Pyrénées-Orientales) they found a few C-shaped earrings. Two regions in Gaul (France) were mentioned in certain written sources in relation to the Alans’; these regions were also discovered with C-shaped earrings. Volga - Kama - Aral region is registered with 25 closed complexes with C-shaped earrings. Elements of the burial ritual accompanied by tools are described in the table. Both ritualistic elements and tools found in complexes demonstrate homogeneous materials in regions thousands of kilometres apart. Simple C-shaped earrings in Volga - Kama - Aral region can be dated 4th-6th century. Earrings with bunches or pyramids can be dated the second half of the 6th-8th century. These earrings belong to the Sarmatian Alans.

A scoping review of cultural issues concerning institutional quarantine and isolation during major multi‐country outbreaks in Africa: 2000–2023

AbstractBackground and AimsInfectious disease outbreaks pose significant challenges in Africa due to its ecology, socioeconomic conditions, and weak health systems. Implementing institutional quarantine and isolation (Q&I) measures is crucial for managing major outbreaks. However, the cultural context often determines the success of these measures. This scoping review aims to examine existing evidence on the cultural aspects of institutional Q&I in Africa over the past two decades, focusing on the COVID‐19 pandemic and other major multi‐country disease outbreaks.MethodsThis scoping review's protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework registry. Nine research databases were systematically searched to retrieve all relevant literature, followed by deduplication and a two‐stage screening process using the Rayyan web application. The inclusion of any literature into this review was based on a set of eligibility criteria. Also, manual searching of the reference lists of included literature was done to retrieve any other eligible literature. From the included literature, data were charted, collected, and summarized.FindingsOut of the 787 articles retrieved from the database searches, this review found only one to be eligible for inclusion. Also, no other eligible article was obtained after manual searching of the reference list for this article. The reviewed article presented empirical findings on the impact of COVID‐19 Q&I protocols on traditional burial rites in Ghana. Many Ghanaian families were against their country's protocol because they felt it was insensitive to their traditional values and burial practices. Also, the way the protocol was implemented made some Ghanaian families feel that foreign burial practices were imposed on them, which bred feelings of cultural exclusion and neglect (by the government) among Ghanaians.ConclusionResearch evidence on the cultural implications of Q&I in Africa is very scanty. More research is needed on this topic of public health interest.

Mesolithic Burials of the Volga-Urals

For the Mesolithic era, experts have identified two zones of ritualism: the northern with an elongated posture of skeleton and the southern with a crouched posture. Until recently on the territory of the Volga-Urals, Mesolithic burials were almost unknown. Therefore, the purpose of the article is to analyze the complexes for their attribution to the Middle Stone Age. The paper relevance is due to the low degree of the Mesolithic burials study in the territory under consideration. Methods and materials. The objects of the study were the materials of the monuments Mayak I, Syezhe I, Chekalino IV and Davlekanovo. In order to achieve the goal, the archaeological context of each monument was analyzed. To identify several objects of study, planigraphic and stratigraphic methods were used. The typological analysis was applied when structuring the funeral rite and the inventory. Lack of inventory in some burials made cultural and chronological attribution difficult. The radiocarbon method was aimed at establishing the chronological framework of the burials. Anthropological analyses were aimed at identifying morphological characteristics of the buried. Outcomes. Based on the results of the study, two traditions of the burial rite were revealed. The Mayak I and Syezhee I monuments depict the pose of the buried stretched out on their backs, while the Chekalino IV and Davlekanovo monuments show a crouched position on the right side. Radiocarbon values record the chronological differences between these groups. Anthropological characteristics are included in a wide range of variants of the proto-Uraloid or the Old Ural type. These differences can be explained both by the territorial peculiarity of the Volga-Ural region and by the fact that the monuments belong to different periods of the Mesolithic.

Rest in Peace or in Pieces: Post-Mortem Care Options in U.S. Advance Directives.

Advance Directives (ADs) have traditionally focused on documenting patients' end-of-life (EOL) care preferences. Recently, discussions surrounding post-mortem care as an additional aspect of EOL care planning have gained attention. This study examined ADs across all 50 states and the District of Columbia (referred to as "entities"), assessing their inclusion of two post-mortem categories: funeral planning and anatomical gifts. Results revealed that 29% of entities offered options from both categories, 43% provided options from only one of the categories, and 27% lacked options from either category. Unexpectedly, only one entity (2%) provided all post-mortem options from both categories. These findings suggest a lack of consistency in the availability of post-mortem options across ADs. By emphasizing the importance of comprehensive EOL care planning, this study provides valuable insights into the necessity for AD standardization, particularly regarding post-mortem preferences for patients who choose to express them.

Prediction model of maximum stress for concrete pipes based on XGBoost-PSO algorithm

Due to varying burial conditions and service environments, concrete pipes exhibit complex mechanical behavior. Existing theoretical, simulation, and test methods for determining the maximum stress of pipes have significant limitations, including excessive assumptions, low efficiency, and restricted applicable conditions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to propose a multi-factor associated method for pipe stress prediction. This paper proposed an innovative approach to finely simulate the mechanics response for concrete pipes under the coupling action of stress-seepage-fluid fields. The accuracy of this numerical simulation method was validated through full-scale test. Sensitivity analysis based on Morris sensitivity analysis theory was conducted on traffic load magnitude and speed, buried depth, groundwater table, fluid height and velocity, bedding strength, backfill strength, and pipe diameter. A dataset of “physical variables - maximum stress” for concrete pipes was established. A multi-factor-correlated prediction model of maximum stress for concrete pipe was proposed using XGBoost machine learning method optimized by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. The results indicate that pipe diameter is highly sensitive; buried depth and traffic load magnitude are sensitive; groundwater table, bedding strength, and backfill strength are moderately sensitive; while fluid height, traffic speed, and flow velocity are insensitive. The XGBoost-PSO model demonstrates the highest accuracy and lowest error compared to BP, RF, and XGBoost models, with improvements in prediction accuracy of 59.6 %, 23.8 %, and 8.6 %, respectively. The model achieves RMSE of 0.118 and MAE of 0.213, demonstrating the suitability of the XGBoost-PSO model for predicting maximum stress for concrete pipes.

Death in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Experiences of Selected Communities in Itogon, Benguet

Health protocols during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic have affected indigenous communities in various ways, including the inability to perform burial rituals. Understanding how the imposed health policies challenged cultural expressions and uncovering the issues arising in the implementation can raise awareness among stake holders. It also advocates for future pandemic plans to consider the expectations and cultural nuances of all stakeholders in the design of preventive strategies. This study investigated how indigenous communities in Itogon, Benguet responded to the health protocols declared by the government vis-à-vis their death worldview and rituals. Employing a qualitative approach, findings showed that the indigenous communities believe that death is not the end of life but merely a transition to the next life, in this transition, rituals are needed to be performed. It ensures that the spirit reaches the spiritual world. The imposed protocols had significantly challenged the performance of long-held rituals as it was halted. During those times, the communities showed “cultural resiliency” as they negotiated with the protocols, some had asserted, modified and changed the ritual. Keywords : Burial Rituals, COVID-19, Death Worldview, Indigenous Peoples, Itogon

Early Modern Deviant Burial in Prehistoric Monuments in Sweden

AbstractThis study deals with Early Modern burials in ancient monuments located nowhere near churches or execution sites. Examples are given from four prehistoric sites in different Swedish provinces, dating from the Early Neolithic through the Roman Period, with a total of 15 buried Early Modern individuals. Written sources along with details of the burial rite suggest that they are plague burials. Such were not welcome in churchyards because of concerns over the poorly understood contagion. Why people all over Sweden occasionally targeted ancient monuments specifically for this purpose is not clear. In one case, they saw the monument as the remains of a church. More generally, they knew that much older burials sanctified and lent some prior sanction to those sites.

The Burial Rite and the Concept of Death among the Modern Yakuts (Based on Materials from Central Yakutia)

The Burial Rite and the Concept of Death among the Modern Yakuts (Based on Materials from Central Yakutia)

Stone axes throw new light on Baltic stone age mortuary rites

Despite their ubiquity, Mesolithic lithic tools given as funerary offerings have rarely been studied in detail. Whereas personal ornaments (e.g. beads, pendants) are commonly interpreted as markers of social identity and status, archaeologists have struggled to understand the stone tools, commonly regarded as “utilitarian” items. As a result, this class of grave goods has not received the same level of attention, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of Mesolithic mortuary behaviours. Our research challenges long-lasting perceptions of lithic tools as strictly utilitarian objects and draws on studies of one of the most substantial stone axe funerary collections from one of the largest Stone Age cemeteries in Europe–Zvejnieki, Latvia. Evidence suggests the selection of unused axes as grave offerings, while unusual wear traces on an axe found in a female grave (no 57) raises questions about its use in the burial rites. Using a multi-proxy approach, we compare life histories of axes placed in burials to those recovered from contemporary, nearby settlement contexts. Finally, a strong correlation between axes and women and children at Zvejnieki challenges gendered stereotypes of stone tools, historically regarded as possessions of the adult male members of Stone Age societies.

‘Let My Son Play’: Toys and Games for the Children of the Ancient Near East

ABSTRACT In the Ancient Near East, written and iconographic sources, and objects found in children's graves provide insight into children material culture. Rare finds, like clay figurines, miniature carts, and unique stone objects, suggest a mix of playthings and possibly ritual items. The presence of such items in children's tombs, different from adult burials, indicates a blend of practical and emotional elements in the burial ritual. The ambiguity surrounding these objects highlights the emotional and personal aspect of children's material culture, offering avenues on the complexity of their lives.