Death and Dying in the Neolithic Near EastThe Neolithic of the Near East is a period of human development which saw fundamental changes in the nature of human society. It is traditionally studied for its development of domestication, agriculture, and growing social complexity. In this book Karina Croucher takes a new approach, focusing on the human body and investigating mortuary practices - the treatment and burial of the dead - to discover what these can reveal about the people of the Neolithic Near East. The remarkable evidence relating to mortuary practices and ritual behaviour from the Near Eastern Neolithic provides some of the most breath-taking archaeological evidence excavated from Neolithic contexts. The most enigmatic mortuary practices of the period produced the striking 'plastered skulls', faces modelled onto the crania of the deceased. Archaeological sites also contain evidence for many intriguing mortuary treatments, including decapitated burials and the fragmentation, circulation, curation, and reburial of human and animal remains and material culture. Drawing on recent excavations and earlier archive and published fieldwork, Croucher provides an overview and introduction to the period, presenting new interpretations of the archaeological evidence and in-depth analyses of case studies. The book explores themes such as ancestors, human-animal relationships, food, consumption and cannibalism, personhood, and gender. Offering a unique insight into changing attitudes towards the human body - both in life and during death - this book reveals the identities and experiences of the people of the Neolithic Near East through their interactions with their dead, with animals, and their new material worlds. |
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activities adult Anatolia animals appear approach archaeological argued aspects association become body bones building burials buried Campbell cannibalism Çatalhöyük changes chapter close communal comparable complex concepts considered constructed consumption contained contexts crania cremation culture dating dead death deceased deposition discussed display Domuztepe East evidence examples excavated experiences face female figurines floor fragmentation frequently further gender Göbekli Tepe Goring-Morris grave groups head houses human identities important individual instance interpretations interred Kfar HaHoresh later least living male marks material meaning mortuary practices natural Neolithic objects particular past perhaps period person personhood placed plastered skulls pottery PPNB practices primary recent recovered region relation relationships remains removed represented result revealed ritual role seen significant simply situation social society statues stone suggests taking Tell tion treatment understanding University vessels viewed Whilst women