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Contextualizing Grave Goods : Theoretical Perspectives and Methodological Implications

Ekengren, Fredrik LU orcid (2013) In Oxford Handbooks p.173-192
Abstract
The material culture of mortuary practices is one of the central sources at our disposal in the archaeological interpretation of past societies. The purpose of this chapter is thus to present a number of theoretical considerations deemed relevant to the study of grave goods. A short review of previous and contemporary approaches to grave goods is given, with a focus on perspectives informed by practice theory as well as ritual theory. From this a number of theoretical key points are established, leading to a discussion of the methodological implications prompted by them. A case study of a Late Roman Iron Age inhumation found in Skovgårde on Zealand (Denmark) is then analysed, with theoretical and methodological considerations as the point... (More)
The material culture of mortuary practices is one of the central sources at our disposal in the archaeological interpretation of past societies. The purpose of this chapter is thus to present a number of theoretical considerations deemed relevant to the study of grave goods. A short review of previous and contemporary approaches to grave goods is given, with a focus on perspectives informed by practice theory as well as ritual theory. From this a number of theoretical key points are established, leading to a discussion of the methodological implications prompted by them. A case study of a Late Roman Iron Age inhumation found in Skovgårde on Zealand (Denmark) is then analysed, with theoretical and methodological considerations as the point of departure. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Grave Goods, Meaning, Ritual, Practice Theory, Transformation, Methodology, Archaeology, Funerary archaeology, Mortuary practices, Graves, Burial customs
host publication
The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Death and Burial
series title
Oxford Handbooks
editor
Nilsson Stutz, Liv and Tarlow, Sarah
pages
173 - 192
publisher
Oxford University Press
DOI
10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199569069.013.0010
project
The Archaeology of Death and Burial – Theoretical Perspectives and Methodological Implications
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2395b16c-52cd-49ec-9570-3bd5862f0e5e (old id 2214467)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 11:45:50
date last changed
2026-01-03 19:32:15
@inbook{2395b16c-52cd-49ec-9570-3bd5862f0e5e,
  abstract     = {{The material culture of mortuary practices is one of the central sources at our disposal in the archaeological interpretation of past societies. The purpose of this chapter is thus to present a number of theoretical considerations deemed relevant to the study of grave goods. A short review of previous and contemporary approaches to grave goods is given, with a focus on perspectives informed by practice theory as well as ritual theory. From this a number of theoretical key points are established, leading to a discussion of the methodological implications prompted by them. A case study of a Late Roman Iron Age inhumation found in Skovgårde on Zealand (Denmark) is then analysed, with theoretical and methodological considerations as the point of departure.}},
  author       = {{Ekengren, Fredrik}},
  booktitle    = {{The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Death and Burial}},
  editor       = {{Nilsson Stutz, Liv and Tarlow, Sarah}},
  keywords     = {{Grave Goods; Meaning; Ritual; Practice Theory; Transformation; Methodology; Archaeology; Funerary archaeology; Mortuary practices; Graves; Burial customs}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{173--192}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Oxford Handbooks}},
  title        = {{Contextualizing Grave Goods : Theoretical Perspectives and Methodological Implications}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199569069.013.0010}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199569069.013.0010}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}