The Anglo-Saxon Way of Death: Burial Rites in Early EnglandAn up-to-date and accessible account of death and burial in Anglo-Saxon England. The book offers insights into the society and customs of the Anglo-Saxons and provides clues about their way of life and their understanding of the world. Through a detailed study of cemeteries, gravegoods and human remains, the author seeks to offer a review of this emotive subject. Samantha Lucy looks first at the background to the evidence and at prehistoric and Roman traditions. She then considers the discovery and excavation of Anglo-Saxon cemeteries and at the rites and practices of death, which included cremation and burial. She also describes what we can learn from the layout and siting of the cemeteries themselves, and demonstrates that the surviving evidence - in particular changes in costume and gravegoods - can be used to show how Anglo-Saxon customs of burial developed over 400 years. |
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Contents
DATING BURIALS AND GRAVEGOODS IN ANGLOSAXON CEMETERIES | 19 |
INHUMATION BURIAL PRACTICE | 65 |
Interpreting Skeletal Remains 65 Pre and Postmortem | 82 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
adult Anglo-Saxon cemeteries animal appear Archaeology areas argued artefacts associated barrow basis beads body bone Britain British bronze brooches burial rite buried changes chapter common contained contemporary contexts costume cremation culture decoration detailed Dickinson distinct distribution earlier early East England English especially ethnic evidence Evison example excavated female fifth finds furnished Geake Germanic grave-goods graves groups Hawkes head historical ibid ideas identified important indicate inhumations interesting interpreted iron Kent known late later Leeds linked looking majority male material nature Norfolk noted objects offerings origins ornament perhaps period placed population possible pottery practice probably produced range recent recording regional remains represent Roman Saxon seems seen settlement seventh century showing similar single sixth century skeletal skeleton Smith sometimes sources Spong Hill structures Style suggested thought types urns usually various vessels weapons West Yorkshire