Archaeological Perspectives on Burial Practices and Societal Change: Death in Transition (Routledge Studies in Archaeology)

Archaeological Perspectives on Burial Practices and Societal Change examines the relationships between burial practices and societal transformations in the past. This book highlights the centrality of burials as archaeological material for the understanding of societal change.It critically reassesses past approaches, and suggests new ways of understanding the relationship between burial practice and change in archaeology.Particular attention is given to archaeological periods where change was especially intense: so-called transition periods.The volume has a wide chronological and geographical scope, spanning the Early Bronze Age to the present day, and ranging geographically from Cyprus to Scandinavia.Recent developments within archaeological methods and theory have sparked discussions about the mechanisms and reasons behind societal changes in the past.This book aims to revive interest in understanding and explaining these changes, which are fundamental questions to the discipline of