Funerary practices and funerary selection: Study of ancient bone collections from megalithic structures in the eastern Languedoc and southern Cevennes at the end of the Neolithic

Journal: Anthropologie (France)

Volume: 126

Issue: 5

ISSN: 0003-5521

DOI: 10.1016/j.anthro.2022.103099

Abstract:

Collective burials were the main and most widespread funerary practice at the end of the Neolithic, beginning of the Bronze Age in the south of France. Megalithic monuments required a huge investment of time and labor. According to ethnographic studies, these monumental tombs are generally built and managed collectively. One can therefore wonder who was buried inside these structures because several archaeological studies indicate that access to these tombs can sometimes be restricted to certain members of the population. Indeed, ethnography highlights that access to certain tombs can be structured by variables such as kinship, social status, etc. While previous studies have mainly focused on the architecture and function of these monuments, this article focuses on the process of deposition of human remains and the characterization of the population buried inside these monuments. Since 2012, a project has been undertaken on the dolmens of the south of France in order to discuss funerary practices and to compare them with data from other archaeosciences to rediscuss the funerary traditions in place at the end of the Neolithic, the beginning of the Bronze Age.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/37923/

Source: Scopus

Funerary practices and funerary selection: Study of ancient bone collections from megalithic structures in the eastern Languedoc and southern Cevennes at the end of the Neolithic

Authors: Le Roy, M.

Journal: ANTHROPOLOGIE

Volume: 126

Issue: 5

eISSN: 1873-5827

ISSN: 0003-5521

DOI: 10.1016/j.anthro.2022.103099

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/37923/

Source: Web of Science (Lite)

Pratiques fune ́ raires et recrutement: reprise d’e ́ tude des collections osseuses issues des dolmens du Languedoc oriental et sud des Ce ́ vennes a` la fin du Ne ́ olithique

Authors: Le Roy, M.

Journal: L'Anthropologie

Volume: 126

Issue: 5

ISSN: 0003-5521

Abstract:

Les sépultures collectives sont la pratique funéraire la plus répandue à la fin du Néolithique et au début de l’âge du Bronze dans le sud de la France. De nombreux exemples prennent place dans des structures mégalithiques. Ces dernières ont nécessité un énorme investissement en temps et en travail. Selon des enquêtes ethnographiques, ces tombes monumentales sont généralement construites et gérées collectivement. On peut donc se demander qui a été enterré à l’intérieur de ces structures car plusieurs études archéologiques indiquent que l’accès à ces tombes peut parfois être restreint à certains membres de la population. En effet, l’ethnographie met en évidence que l’accès à certaines tombes peut être structuré par des variables telles que la parenté, le statut social, etc. Alors que les études précédentes se sont principalement concentrées sur l’architecture et la fonction de ces monuments, cet article se concentre sur le processus de mise en place des dépôts funéraires et la caractérisation de la population enterrée à l’intérieur de ces monuments. Depuis 2012, un projet a été engagé sur les dolmens du Languedoc oriental et du sud des Cévennes afin de discuter des pratiques funéraires et de les comparer aux données issues d’autres archéosciences pour rediscuter les traditions funéraires en place à la fin du Néolithique et au début de l’âge du Bronze dans la région d’étude.

Abstract (English): Collective burials were the main and most widespread funerary practice at the end of the Neolithic, beginning of the Bronze Age in the south of France. Megalithic monuments required a huge investment of time and labor. According to ethnographic studies, these monumental tombs are generally built and managed collectively. One can therefore wonder who was buried inside these structures because several archaeological studies indicate that access to these tombs can sometimes be restricted to certain members of the population. Indeed, ethnography highlights that access to certain tombs can be structured by variables such as kinship, social status, etc. While previous studies have mainly focused on the architecture and function of these monuments, this article focuses on the process of deposition of human remains and the characterization of the population buried inside these monuments. Since 2012, a project has been undertaken on the dolmens of the south of France in order to discuss funerary practices and to compare them with data from other archaeosciences to rediscuss the funerary traditions in place at the end of the Neolithic, the beginning of the Bronze Age.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/37923/

Source: BURO EPrints