Human remains as evidence for grief and mourning? A reinterpretation of plastered skulls from Levant
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2017-05-11

In a change to the types of evidence usually gained from skeletal remains, this paper considers whether skeletal remains can inform us of grief and mourning. Taking the case study of plastered skulls from the Neolithic of Southwest Asia, this paper re-analyses the remains. The plastered skulls are the treated crania recovered from burials beneath house floors, on to which have been recreated faces using mud, lime or gypsum plasters. They are traditionally interpreted as relating to ritual elites, or as a means for expressing community cohesion. This new analysis is informed by recent work between archaeologists and end of life care researchers on the ‘Continuing Bonds: Exploring the meaning and legacy of past and contemporary practice’ project, and investigates 87 TAG 2 0 1 6
whether theories of grief and mourning can shed light on practices in the past at particular moments in time.

Karina Croucher, University of Bradford