Death Rituals, Social Order and the Archaeology of Immortality in the Ancient World

This volume, with essays by leading archaeologists and prehistorians, considers how prehistoric humans attempted to recognise, understand and conceptualise death.

The twenty-seven essays in this volume, edited and written by leading archaeologists and prehistorians, consider how prehistoric humans attempted to recognise, understand and conceptualise death. Together they trace the emergence of death as a concept and contributing factor to the formation of communities and social hierarchies, and sometimes the creation of divinities.Modern archaeology has amassed considerable evidence for the disposal of the dead through burials, cemeteries and other monuments. Drawing on this body of evidence, this book offers fresh insight into how early human societies conceived of death and the afterlife. The twenty-seven essays in this volume consider the rituals and responses to death in prehistoric societies across the world, from eastern Asia through Europe to the Americas, and from the very earliest times before developed religious beliefs offered scriptural answers to these questions. Compiled and written by leading prehistorians and archaeologists, this volume traces the emergence of death as a concept in early times, as well as a contributing factor to the formation of communities and social hierarchies, and sometimes the creation of divinities.