Chamber Tombs Research Articles

Walking your Way to Death. Exploring the Relation Between the Location of Mycenaean Chamber Tombs and Roads in the Argolid

Abstract A persistent issue with the study of Late Bronze Age (ca. 1600–1100 BCE) chamber tombs in Mainland Greece remains our limited understanding of the factors that governed the choice of location for their construction. Mee and Cavanagh (1990) examined various parameters, such as religious beliefs, distance from settlement, the tombs’ use as territorial markers or relation to roads. They remained, however, inconclusive. The present study revisits this theme, but focuses on one of the factors formerly discussed, that is the relation of the tombs’ locations to roads. As the most extensive record of Mycenaean roads is preserved at the settlement of Mycenae in the Argolid and its hinterland, this site is considered to be the best case-study for analysis. In order to ascertain the significance of roads on the locations chosen for the chamber tombs, this paper builds a methodological approach that makes use of GIS-based mobility analysis and historical cartography. The analysis has shown that, at least at Mycenae, issues of accessibility to the tombs did not play as crucial role as the actual performance of rituals such as the funerary procession. It also sheds light on the form funerary processions probably took at Mycenae and on common notions of wheeled traffic use for the transfer of the dead to their tomb.

R. Angus K. Smith, Mary K. Dabney, Evangelia Pappi, Sevasti Triantaphyllou and James C. Wright. Ayia Sotira. A Mycenaean chamber tomb cemetery in the Nemea Valley, Greece

This volume publishes a group of 6 chamber tombs excavated at the south end of the Nemea valley, not much more than a kilometre to the north-west of the settlement of Tsoungiza, which itself lies a similar distance slightly to the north-west of the historical Sanctuary of Zeus, site of one of the four regular festivals of Panhellenic athletic contests. Tsoungiza was a long-lived settlement, originally founded in the Early Bronze Age but abandoned for much of the Middle Bronze Age and only resettled in the phase in which the foundations of Mycenaean civilisation were being laid.

Research on optimization and assessment of protection shed for the Sun Wu tomb based on microbiological damage control

The Sun Wu tomb in Shangfang Town,Nanjing City is a brick tomb of the Six Dynasties in China,which is very famous for its big scale and complex structure.After being excavated in 2005, microbiological damage occurred on the interior wall of tomb chambers due to the fluctuation of environmental factors, which threatens the historic and culrutal value of this building heritage. Microbiological damage is highly related to the high temperature, high humidity in the tomb chamber and condensation on the wall surface. To solve the problem of microbiological damage in the Sun Wu tomb, the environment monitoring was carried out and the current protection shed on the Sun Wu tomb was optimized. the heat and moisture transfer numerical simulation model of the protection shed was built to evaluate the effects of the optimized protection shed for reducing the condensation on the wall surface.The results show that and add of an functional space into the protection scheme can reduce the condensation on the wall surface of the site.In the protection of masonry archaeological sites, design of such functional space can reduce the condensation on the wall surface of the site,so as to control the microbiological damage in the site.

Delimited Funerary Spaces – Hellenistic Tumuli with Stone Enclosures at Kallatis

This article analyzes the practice of delimiting tumuli graves with stone enclosures, mainly in the Classical and Hellenistic cemeteries of Kallatis/ Callatis (Mangalia), a Dorian establishment on the western Black Sea, following the recent exploration of a monumental tumulus ensemble, the Documaci Mound, built at the end of the 4th c. BC-early 3rd c. BC at 3 km west of the ancient city limits. The mound, covering a chamber tomb with semi-cylindrical vault, plastered walls and dromos, was surrounded at its base, measuring around 169 m in circumference, by a stone wall, 1.2 m high and 87 cm thick. After offering a systematic description of the Documaci Mound enclosure wall, the authors take on the occasion to discuss certain funerary architectural developments in the Greek colonies on the western and northern Black Sea shores, related to the use of periboloi and other stone delimitations (stone rings, kerbs, krepidae) during the Classical period, establishing also general connections with the building trends of the early Hellenistic period of erecting imposing funerary monuments in contexts related to enhancement of the individual identity expression in Macedonia and Thrace.

A Glimpse into Burial Practices of Medieval (10th to 13th c. AD) Elites in the Horqin Region, Northeast China

Cette étude a pour but de présenter deux tombes à chambre en brique des périodes Liao et Jin (Xe-XIIIe s.) fouillées récemment dans la region du Ke’erqin (à Dongmengyi dans le district de Shuangliao et à Hamaqin dans le district de Changling), dans l’ouest de la province du Jilin, dans le nord-est de la Chine. La description de ces découvertes, réalisée de la manière la plus détaillée possible, met en relief les éléments architecturaux, ceux du mobilier funéraire, et les restes humains. Dans un deuxième temps, les auteurs proposent de mettre en perspective ces découvertes en les comparant aux sépultures publiées pour cette région. 246 tombes du Ke’erqin et des alentours ont été intégrées à une base de données et permettent de mener des analyses quantitatives sur les coutumes funéraires. Ces informations, visualisées au sein d’un Système d’information géographique (SIG), sont analysées pour connaître les configurations spatiales de la distribution des divers types de tombes, de leurs formes, et même des objets les plus proches de ceux découverts à Dongmengyi et Hamaqin.

THE GOLD AND SILVER VESSELS AND OTHER PRECIOUS FINDS FROM THE THOLOS TOMB AT KOKLA IN THE ARGOLID

The Late Helladic IIB–IIIA1 tholos in the Kokla necropolis is a particularly important and intriguing tomb that can provide us with interesting insights into the wider social landscape of the Argolid just prior to the emergence of the Mycenaean palaces. Architecturally, the tomb itself is a unique mix of features derived from tholoi and chamber tombs; its entrance is adorned with what must be one of the earliest-surviving Mycenaean frescoes. This tholos tomb had not been looted, a rare phenomenon for such tombs, and the precious finds, that is to say the gold, silver and ivory objects, are presented here in detail. These artworks include both Minoan and Mycenaean influences. The group of metal vessels is significant as it is one of the largest assemblages of metalware found from the post-Shaft Grave period on the Mycenaean Greek mainland. It appears that some of these objects were used for funerary ritual activity in conjunction with the bench in the tholos, whereas other objects seem to have been part of an assemblage of grave-goods. As no human remains were discovered, it is difficult to piece together the sequence of use for the tomb. Nevertheless, the publication of this material from the Kokla tholos is an important contribution to our knowledge of the Argolid during this period.

The transition and meaning of the ceremonial ornament with bird-shaped thorn(有刺괿器) from Marisan ancient tombs in Haman region

The Malisan ancient tombs in Haman region are the most important sites, as the center of Allakuk(安羅國), in the study of Gaya. In this study, the ceremonial ornament with bird-shaped thorn(有刺利器) excavated from the Malisan tombs were examined. In the analysis of the ceremonial ornament, It attracts attention to the most distinctive part of the bird-shaped decoration. It is largely classified into the old and the new style. It is set to five types of old style and three types of new style. The old and new style differ in appearance and disappearance. The set pattern is observed to change gradually from the early period to the late period. The duration is divided into five stages from the beginning of the 5th century to the beginning of the 6th century. The scale of the wooden chamber tombs and stone chamber tombs and the main artifacts were examined, and the hierarchy was classified. The ceremonial ornament shows the hierarchical feature that is buried only in the middle grave and above. From the time of the emergence until the extinction period, the position as a superior relics was maintained. The position to be buried is changed. Artifacts what was buried near the body, it changes to the form to be placed on the vice chamber or top of the main in the late period. The ceremonial ornament excavated from the Malisan tombs is confirmed a close connection with the Gimhae region in the 4th century. The bird-shaped decoration on back of the armor excavated from the Daeseongdong No. 2 tomb is very similar to that of the earliest period in the old style of the Malisan s ceremonial ornament. From the previous period, the image of the bird-shaped decoration were identified in various artifacts as an important notion of farming rituals, worship of the sky and sun, and ceremonial rituals. It can be seen that the building group of the Malisan tombs placed the ceremonial ornament that has a symbolic meaning on the grave with a high hierarchy continuously.

Appearance and development of the brazier-shaped pottery (걚形土器) excavated from ancient tomb in the Jinhan and Byeonhan Region

The brazier-shaped pottery(盧形土器) was mainly excavated from the wooden chamber tomb as one of the major types of the latter soft grayish pottery(後期瓦質土器) in Jin Byeon Han(弁辰韓) area. According to the latter soft grayish pottery study, the shape of brazier-shaped pottery in the Byeon Jin Han area, had changed with time. But the‘ Byeon Jin Han’is a collective expression of a group of small units, the latter period of the Byeon Jin Han was during when the integration between the groups began to actively proceed. It is also meaningful to look at the aspects between unit sites rather than all Yeongnam province as an entire analysis unit. In this article, it’s focused on examining the differences in patterns of brazier-shaped pottery between unit sites. As a result of the analysis of the pottery, the common attributes shared across the Byeon Jin Han area and the characteristic properties of the unit sites were derived. The common attributes are the size and height of the top part, the maximum circumferential position(胴最大部) and shape, the percentage of foot in total size of the pottery etc.. The common attribute had changed in the forward direction, it’s interpreted it as shared the recognition of brazier-shaped pottery in all the Byeon Jin Han area. Meanwhile, the detailed type differences by units, is interpreted it as the result of selecting specific attributes in the region. Therefore it seems the shape of brazier-shaped pottery in the Byeon Jin Han area that common and optional attributes are combined. It’s examined the process of selective combination of attributes through comparison between regions. Considering the common attributes of the brazier-shaped pottery and the a temporal and spatial change of unit site’s property, there were various types of the pottery from the beginning, it develops in the direction of increasing the quantity with the formation according to the flow of time. As the shape difference between unit ruins decreases in the same time, it became flat in the Gyeongju region, the top part of pottery were developed in the upright direction in the Busan·Gimhae region. It’s changed to be hardened, transformed pottery stand(器臺) with the difference between Gyeongju and Busan·Gimhae region.

The character of Goadong Mural Tomb in Goryeong and Daegaya ruling class

고령 고아동벽화고분은 대가야 최고수장층의 묘역인 지산동고분군과 인접하여 위치하는 횡혈식석실이다. 고아동벽화고분에 대해 그 동안 많은 연구가 진행되었으나 연화문 벽화 분석이 대부분을 차지하였다. 이에 석실 구조에 대한 고고학적 분석을 근거로 한 계보와 편년, 피장자의 출신과 성격에 관한 자세한 연구가 필요한 실정이다. 그리고 고아동벽화고분의 출현 배경에 대가야 수장층이 어떠한 목적으로 개입하였는지, 또한 그 관계에 관한 접근도 필요하다 생각하여 본 연구를 계획하게 되었다. 고아동벽화고분의 석실 구조는 공주와 부여지역에서 확인되는 터널형 횡혈식석실과 유사하다. 그 출현시점은 530년대 이후의 6세기 중엽으로 설정하였고, 축조 공인은 백제인이 중심이 되었을 것으로 추정하였다. 피장자 문제는 고아동벽화고분의 입지, 인접한 지산동고분군의 성격, 당시 역사적 배경과 관련지어 논하였다. 이에 고아동벽화고분의 피장자는 친백제계 대가야 고위층 또는 고령지역에 파견된 백제 관료의 두 가지 가능성으로 압축하였다. 고아동벽화고분의 출현 배경에는 대가야 지배층의 정치적 목적이 강하게 반영되었을 것으로 보았다. 그리고 백제 선진 문물을 적극적으로 수용하는 것이 유물에 그치지 않고 묘제에도 반영되었을 가능성을 제시하면서 고아동벽화고분을 그 사례로 평가하였다. 아울러 이와 유사한 구조의 석실이 고령양식 토기 일색 분포권과 유사함을 지적하면서 그 의미와 가능성에 대 해 살펴보았다. 대가야는 당시 백제를 포함한 주변국의 흐름과 같이 횡혈식석실을 수용하였고, 이것을 통해 정치적 성장을 도모하였을 것으로 추정되나 역시 대가야 멸망에 가까운 시대적 상황에 의해 더 이상의 발전은 없었던 것으로 판단하였다.Goadong Mural Tomb in Goryeong is a stone chamber tomb with a tunnel entrance adjacent to Jisandong Tumuli, the tombs of the highest level of the ruling class in Daegaya. Many studies have been conducted on Goadong Mural Tomb, but they concentrated too much on Yeonhwamun mural analysis that not enough research has been done in detail about the characteristics and genealogy of the stone chamber tomb, and the origin and personality of the buried. There is also a need to approach the purpose of intervention by the Daegaya ruling class or the relationship with the background for the emergence of Goadong Mural Tomb, and this study was conducted accordingly. The structure of Goadong Mural Tomb is similar to the tunnel-type stone chamber found in Gongju and Buyeo. It was assumed to have emerged in the mid-6th century, and probably built by Baekje people. The buried was discussed in relation to the location of Goadong Mural Tomb, the character of Jisandong Tumuli next to it, and the historical background at the time. One thing clear is that the buried of Goadong Mural Tomb is not from the highest ruling class around Jisandong Tumuli. It was assumed that there might have been political purposes of the ruling class of Daegaya in the background of Goadong Mural Tomb. There was also a possibility that this aspect might have appeared in the burial system, based on Daegaya’s unique Goryeong-style earthenware and gold earrings. In the end, while Daegaya made efforts to build a typical stone chamber tomb following the trend of neighboring countries including Baekje, no more progress was made due to the circumstances at the time when Daegaya was on the verge of ruin.

Human Skeletons from a Late Minoan IIIA2-B Chamber Tomb at Galia in the Messara

The burials in this tomb provided evidence of physical adaptation to the environment in which the people lived, of tuberculosis or brucellosis probably contracted through consumption of produce from infected animals, of professional intervention for the healing of a broken limb, of living conditions on Crete perhaps better than on the mainland reflected by the tall stature of burial III, of burial IV’s diminished stature and dental hypoplasia that reflect an increasingly stratified society adversely affecting the social gender of women.

CALAKMUL AS A CENTRAL PLACE: ISOTOPIC INSIGHTS ON URBAN MAYA MOBILITY AND DIET DURING THE FIRST MILLENNIUM AD

Isotopic investigations of human burials from excavations of the Autonomous University of Campeche (CIHS) at the prehispanic Maya capital of Calakmul in southeastern Mexico, near the border with Guatemala, include determination of radiocarbon dates; carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in collagen; and strontium, carbon, and oxygen isotope ratios in tooth enamel. A total of 22 human and 5 faunal samples analyzed for strontium isotopes reveal a narrow range of variation in values, pointing to the likely local origin of over two-thirds of the central population of Calakmul, including two of its rulers. Carbon and nitrogen data confirm a typical Classic Maya diet at the site and identify a diet high in meat consumption for one dynastic individual. Interpreted jointly, the isotopic information offers new perspectives on the provenience and lifestyles of the residents of Calakmul, including a potential place of origin for the royal occupant of chamber tomb Burial VII-1.

The Emergence and Character of chafing-dish-shaped earthenware in the Wooden chamber Tomb of Yeongnam Region

The purpose of this study was to discuss the emergence and character of chafingdish- shaped earthenware found in the wooden chamber tomb of Yeongnam Region from the Early Age of Three Empires. As a result, it shows that the chafing-dish-shaped earthenware from wooden chamber tomb in Young-nam area in Proto Three Kingdoms Age was found mainly in Ulsan and Gyeongju region, based on the current data only, and developed in Gyeongju district zone. Existing study divides chronology of the chafing-dish-shaped earthenware into 4 phases. The 1st phase is in the early 3rd century A.D., the 2nd phase in the mid 3rd century A.D., the 3rd phase in the late 3rd century A.D. and the 4th phase in the early 4th century A.D.. Hence, the chafing-dish-shaped earthenware started to appear in the early 3rd century A.D. and continued to last until the early 4th century A.D. Considering the accompanied relics and the scale of wooden chamber tomb, chafingdish- shaped earthenware seems to reflect the authority of people. In other words, it is possible that even the same earthenware can take different forms for the commoners and the ruling class. However, the accompanied relics and the scale of wooden chamber tomb degraded from the early 4th Century B.C. and chafing-dish-shaped earthenware weakened its representation of authority. Also, chafing-dish-shaped earthenware was newly developed along with other ceremonial earthenware. Considering the accompanied steel artifacts, they are rather unpractical to prove that they were related to ceremonies. In sum, chafing-dish-shaped earthenware seems to reflect the character of authority and ceremonies.

The Eastern necropolis of Nea Paphos: Overcoming challenges in a lost landscape

This paper presents a multidisciplinary methodological approach to the study of archaeological sites with low visibility in the modern landscape. The urban expansion of many modern cities that have been developed very near or on ancient grounds has had a serious effect on the visibility of ancient sites. In addition, the unearthing of archaeological locales as a result of rescue excavations conducted by traditional means in the last hundred years and without the help of recent technological advances, also contributed to limited visibility of ancient sites on the modern landscape. This paper addresses this issue by focusing on an important archaeological site on the island of Cyprus, namely the Eastern necropolis of Nea Paphos, a significant funerary landscape in Hellenistic and Roman times. Rescue excavations back in the 1980s brought to light a plethora of burial architecture, of shaft and chamber tomb types. Despite detailed excavation records, information regarding the exact location and spatial distribution of these features is not available and is now lost forever since the modern city's urban expansion significantly altered the ancient landscape. The paper proposes a methodological approach to dealing with this issue that brings together traditional archaeological data, geo-data and modern geospatial tools. Even though the focus of this study is the Hellenistic-Roman necropolis of Nea Paphos in southwest Cyprus, the methodology could find wide application to low visibility archaeological sites throughout the island, especially where funerary landscapes are involved, excavated in the past under the form of rescue excavations.

OSL mortar dating to elucidate the construction history of the Tomb Chamber of the Holy Aedicule of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) was applied on mortar samples, collected from the internal layers of the complex Holy Aedicule structure of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. OSL was accompanied by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersion X-ray Analysis (SEM-EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the resulted data provide new information regarding the construction evolution of the Tomb Chamber of the Holy Aedicule and the Holy Tomb. Four distinct chronological periods, based on the OSL dating, were produced corresponding to important construction and restoration phases of the 4th, 11th, 16th and 19th centuries. These correspond to the Constantinean era Aedicule, the Byzantine reconstruction (1034–1041 CE), the renaissance restoration by Boniface of Ragusa in 1555 and the reconstruction by the architect “Kalfas” Komnenos in 1810. The majority of the historical mortars were gypsum-based, regardless of their use in the structure and construction era, indicating continuity in production technology. Through this study the historical sequence of the Tomb Chamber evolution from the Constantinean era Aedicule to the Aedicule as it stands today is elucidated.

An Anatolian-Persian tomb relief from Gökçeler in Lydia

AbstractThe relief block at the centre of this study was found in 2004 in a ploughed field in the northern region of Lydia near the village of Gökçeler in the district of Akhisar, in what is today the Manisa province. A standing male figure is depicted on the block, which probably belonged to a chamber tomb. Holding a cock and a bud in his hands, stylistically the figure points to a date between the late sixth century BC and the early fifth century BC. He has short, spiral curls and wears a long-sleeved, tight-fitting garment that appears to be influenced by the Persian style. Within the scope of Anatolian-Persian funerary reliefs, this example is particularly significant due to its typological and iconographical elements. Specifically, following comparisons with other works of the Persian period, it is possible to suggest that the figure on the Gökçeler relief is an African who is offering a gift to the tomb owner; the latter may have been Persian or have served a Persian. Thus, this relief has particular significance since it is the only known work of Anatolian-Persian sculpture which indicates that individuals of African origin lived in the Anatolian region under Persian rule.

Th. L. Papadopoulos & E. Papadopoulou–Chrysikopoulou. Excavations at the Mycenaean Cemetery at Aigion – 1967 / K. Aktypi. The Mycenaean Cemetery at Ayios Vasileios, Chalandritsa, in Achaea

These are two publications of material from Mycenaean chamber tombs excavated in rescue work in Achaean cemeteries, both at potentially important sites, but one considerably better documented than the other. The tombs at Aigion, an east Achaean coastal site with a long history that was probably the most prominent settlement of its region, are four of a larger cemetery (at least 15 tombs are known), which were excavated by the late E. Mastrokostas while ephor.

신라 적석목곽묘의 조영 양상과 권력구조의 변동

신라 적석목곽묘의 조영 양상과 권력구조의 변동

Evaluation of hydroxyapatite effects for the consolidation of a Hellenistic-Roman rock-cut chamber tomb at Athienou-Malloura in Cyprus

The effectiveness of hydroxyapatite (HAP)-based treatment for the consolidation of a Hellenistic-Roman chamber tomb of Mağara Tepeşi at Athienou-Malloura in Cyprus was evaluated. Diammonium hydrogen phosphate was employed as the precursor enabling reactions with the calcium carbonate from the powdery marlstone to form HAP. DAP solutions were applied in three distinctive parts of the tomb. Compositional and microstructural evolutions of the test areas were compared and scientifically assessed immediately following treatment, and after the period of one year. Results indicated an immediate formation of hydroxyapatite after the DAP application with no significant variation between the three test areas. The HAP in situ formation has shown a great potential as an onsite consolidation treatment of weathered archaeological limestone surfaces.

A Study of Persons Buried in the Royal Tombs of the Goryeo Dynasty in Ganghwa

강화에는 고려시대 왕릉으로 판단되는 7기의 석실분이 남아 있다. 이중 4기는 피장자가 비정되어있는데, 고종 홍릉, 순경태후 가릉, 희종 석릉, 원덕태후 곤릉이 그것이다. 이 중 고종 홍릉은 피장자 비정에 별다른 문제점이 발견되지 않으나 나머지 3기의 왕릉은 문헌과 고고자료를 검토한 결과 피장자 비정이 잘못되었을 가능성이 매우 높다고 본다. 먼저 현재의 가릉은 주변에서 능내리 석실분이 발굴되면서 과연 어느 것이 가릉인지에 의문이 든다. 두 무덤을 비교해 보면 능내리 석실분이 먼저 축조되었고, 위계도 높다. 그리고 출토인골의 분석 결과에 따르면 피장자는 모두 여성이다. 강화에서 사망한 3명의 왕비 중 위치비정이 이루어진 원덕 태후를 제외하면, 상기 두 무덤은 순경태후 가릉과 실능한 성평왕후 소릉일 가릉이 높다. 두 사람 중 피장 당시 위계는 순경태후가 높았으므로 결국 능내리 석실분이 가릉이고, 현재의 가릉이 성평왕후 소릉인 것으로 판단된다. 다음으로 희종 석릉과 원덕태후 곤릉은 강화부를 기준으로 볼 때 석릉이 가깝고 곤릉이 먼 것으로 기록되어 있다. 그러나 현재의 피장자 비정은 그 반대이다. 발굴결과 드러난 능역과 석실의 규모, 치 장정도, 출토유물을 검토해 보면 현재 곤릉이 위계가 높다. 상기 두 사람의 피장당시 위계는 비록 폐 위된 왕이기는 하였으나 희종이 높았으므로 결국 현재의 곤릉이 희종 석릉이고, 현재의 석릉이 원덕 태후 곤릉인 것으로 본다. 이럴 경우 문헌상의 위치 기록과 일치한다. 상기 무덤 외에 강화천도 당시 재궁을 옮긴 세조와 태조의 무덤, 그리고 재이장한 개골동 왕릉을 포함하면 강화에 남아 있어야 하는 고려왕릉은 모두 9기이다. 이 중 결실된 2기의 개골동 왕릉을 제외하면 7기가 남아 있어야 하며, 실제 그렇게 남아 있다. 이중 홍릉을 비롯한 5기의 석실분은 피장자를 비정하였으므로 결국 남은 인산리 석실분과 연리 석실분은 세조와 태조의 천도 당시 이장한 무덤 일 가능성이 높다고 본다.There are seven Stone Chamber Tombs in Ganghwa, thought to be royal tombs of Goryeo Dynasty, four of which are presumed to have known identity for the buried persons: Gojong’s Hongreung, Empress Dowager Sungyeong’s Gareung, Heejong’s Seokreung, and Empress Dowager Wonduk’s Gonreung. Except for Gojong’s Hongreung Royal Tomb, the remaining three tombs have questionable identities of the buried, based on literature and archaeological evidence. Regarding the Empress Dowager Sungyeong’s Gareung Royal Tomb, it is not clear which which of the two tombs is Gareung, considering the Neungnae-ri Stone Chamber Tomb discovered in the same area. Comparing the two tombs, Neungnae-ri was built first, and the buried person shows higher class. Osteological analysis shows both persons to be females. Of the three empress dowagers who died in Ganghwa, Empress Dowager Wonduk’s tomb was ascertained, and the remaining two tombs likely belong to Empress Dowager Sungyeong’s Gareung and Empress Songpyeong’s Soreung. Since Empress Dowager Sungyeong held a higher place in the hierarchy, Neungnae-ri Tomb seems to be Gareung. Current Gareng, then, is thought to be Soreung. It is not certain how to distinguish between Seokreung Royal Tomb from Gonreung Royal Tomb since it does not accord with the record of location in the historical archives. Presuming they are indeed Royal Tombs, Insan-ri and Yeon-ri Stone Chamber Tombs are highly likely to be secondary burials for Sejo and Taejo, when the capital moved. In summary, this study concludes the following identification of the buried for Royal Tombs in Ganghwa: First, it is assumed that Neungnae-ri Stone Chamber Tomb is Empress Dowager Sungyeong’s Gareung Royal Tomb, and the present Gareung is Empress Dowager Seongpyeong’s Soreung Royal Tomb. Second, the present Gonreung Royal Tomb is Heejong’s Seokneung Royal Tomb, and the present Seokreung Royal Tomb is Empress Dowager Wondeok’s Gonreung Royal Tomb. Third, Insan-ri and Yeon-ri Stone Chamber Tombs belong to Sejo and Taejo.

Embodiments of Death: The Funerary Sequence and Commemoration in the Bronze Age Levant

This article presents an archaeological model for Levantine funerary rituals performed in the context of commingling inhumations. Using the case study of a masonry-constructed chamber tomb from Middle Bronze Age Tel Megiddo (Israel), the funerary sequence is reconstructed in three main phases: (1) pre-interment; (2) interment; and (3) post-interment. The sequential performance of funerary rituals in this shared burial space resulted in a high degree of skeletal fragmentation as previously interred corpses were moved aside to accommodate subsequent inhumations. However, rather than merely representing a functional aspect of burial, the repositioning of deceased bodies constituted a ritually meaningful practice that involved continuous physical interactions between the living and the dead. Drawing on theories of embodiment and methods of burial taphonomy, this article argues that mourners' close encounters with deceased bodies played a major role in transforming the status of the dead after burial. Ritualized fragmentation and intermingling of human skeletal remains were integral components of becoming an ancestor.