History Faculty Publications
Document Type
Book Review
Publication Date
7-2015
Publication Source
Bryn Mawr Classical Review
Abstract
The fourteen conference papers in this collection explore chronological changes in funerary rituals and advance theoretical approaches that help explain such changes. The case studies range from the Mesolithic to the Early Modern periods and concentrate on European contexts. They are arranged chronologically, with four contributions on prehistory, one Etruscan, three Roman imperial, two late antique, three medieval and one early modern. The opening chapter briefly sets out five themes that characterize, to varying degrees, all subsequent contributions: change versus continuity, the relationship between practice and belief, the treatment and deposition of bodies, burial location and grave goods, and ritual and commemorative processes.
Overall, there may be more variety than commonality between the chapters, not only in terms of the broad coverage, but also in terms of the level of detail, the favored interpretive approach and theoretical perspective, and the emphasis on eschatological versus secular aspects of funerary ritual. It is difficult to navigate among the different positions, because the authors rarely reference other contributions in the same volume. There is no concluding chapter and the aforementioned introduction sets out rather general connections. The lack of cohesion is not necessarily a problem, because the collection still provides a wealth of information, on both specific scenarios and the methodological challenges of funerary archaeology. It does mean, however, that this book does not advance a unified message and readers will be likely to consult it for individual contributions. This is why the remainder of this review treats each chapter on its own terms.
ISBN/ISSN
1055-7660
Document Version
Published Version
Copyright
Copyright © 2015, Bryn Mawr College
Publisher
Bryn Mawr College
Peer Reviewed
yes
eCommons Citation
Borbonus, Dorian, "Review: 'Death and Changing Rituals: Function and Meaning in Ancient Funerary Practices'" (2015). History Faculty Publications. 64.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/hst_fac_pub/64
Comments
This document is provided for download in compliance with the publisher's policy on self-archiving. Permission documentation is on file.
The book reviewed here is Volume 7 of the series Studies in Funerary Archaeology. Citation information: Death and Changing Rituals: Function and Meaning in Ancient Funerary Practices, J. Rasmus Brandt, Håkon Roland, and Marina Prusac, Eds. Oxford, UK: Oxbow Books, 2014.