Determining Death: Investigating the Selection Processes for Mortuary Rites in Neolithic Ireland

确定死亡：调查新石器时代爱尔兰太平间仪式的选择过程

• 批准号: 2425162
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Queen's University Belfast
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2021 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2425162
• 关键词: Determining; Death; Investigating; Selection; Processes

Research Context: This project will investigate the determining factors (e.g. age, sex, origin or cultural association) which informed the selection processes for the various mortuary rites (cremation, inhumation, primary/secondary burial, and excarnation) undertaken at selected burial sites in Ireland throughout the Neolithic period (c.4000-2500 BC). A point of focus will be the evidence of cutmarks on human remains found at passage tombs and investigating the processes involved in the defleshing or dismembering of the dead. Identifying the variety of funerary rites undertaken at these sites through the application of modern scientific techniques (bioerosion, osteoarchaeological analysis, strontium isotope analysis and GIS) and determining who was selected for these rites, will provide insight into the social, cultural and political dynamics of these communities and how they interacted with their dead. Methods: Neolithic concepts of social, cultural, and spiritual identity will have impacted upon the selection process for funerary rites. Therefore, to examine whether age, sex, status, origin, or cultural association were determining factors in the mortuary rites undertaken at selected Neolithic burial sites, and to identify patterns in the mortuary record this project will: Undertake a detailed review of the grey literature, including the People of Prehistoric Ireland (POPI) database, QUB, containing 248 Neolithic burial sites. If new sites with cutmarks become evident, these will be included in the sample for study. Establish chronologies and population profiles of selected Neolithic burial sites in Ireland (Table 1) through application of modern osteoarchaeological techniques, a review of published osteoarchaeological reports and radiocarbon dates (McKinley and Smith, 2004; Schwartz, 2007; White et al. 2011). Access to assemblages has been discussed with NMI (Dublin) and NMNI (Belfast) and access to facilities in the 14CHRONO Centre, QUB, to obtain new radiocarbon dates has been granted. Identify whether individuals were local/non-local through the investigation of strontium isotopes from burnt and unburnt bone. This will be undertaken on samples from the Irish assemblages and processed by the author under the supervision of Prof. Snoeck, at Vrije Universiteit Brussels. Develop and apply a novel GIS standard for the recording and presentation of cutmarks on human remains based on a published protocol for faunal remains (Abe et al. 2002) to facilitate cross-comparative analysis of disarticulation and de-fleshing techniques (using ArcGIS Pro 2.6.0 made by ESRI). Undertake a histotaphonomic study to determine diagenetic alterations in bone microstructure of selected burials (both with and without cutmarks) at Irish sites, to determine whether individuals were subject to decomposition prior to processing. This will provide additional insights concerning the reconstruction of peri- and post-mortem mortuary processes (Brönnimann et al., 2018). Undertake a review (through the study of existing published works) of contemporary British sites where cutmarks have been identified (e.g. Coldrum chambered tomb, Kent; Haddenham long-barrow, Cambridgeshire; Quarterness chambered tomb, Orkney), to facilitate comparisons with the Irish material. Collate into a database and cross-reference chronologies and population profiles with mortuary practices, using GIS to identify regional variation in burial rites through statistical interrogation of the mortuary data.

研究背景：本项目将调查在整个新石器时代（公元前4000 -2500年）在爱尔兰选定的埋葬地点进行的各种丧葬仪式（火葬、土葬、初次/二次埋葬和掘尸）的选择过程的决定因素（例如年龄、性别、出身或文化联系）。一个重点将是在通道坟墓中发现的人类遗骸上的切割痕迹的证据，并调查死者的剥皮或肢解过程。通过应用现代科学技术（生物侵蚀、骨考古学分析、锶同位素分析和地理信息系统）查明在这些遗址举行的各种葬礼仪式，并确定谁被选中参加这些仪式，将有助于深入了解这些社区的社会、文化和政治动态以及他们如何与死者互动。 方法：新石器时代的社会，文化和精神身份的概念将影响葬礼仪式的选择过程。因此，研究是否年龄，性别，地位，出身，或文化协会的决定因素，在选定的新石器时代的埋葬地点进行的丧葬仪式，并确定模式的丧葬记录本项目将：进行详细审查的灰色文献，包括人的史前爱尔兰（POPI）数据库，QUB，包含248个新石器时代的埋葬地点。如果新的切割标记部位变得明显，则将其纳入研究样本中。通过应用现代骨考古学技术、审查已发表的骨考古学报告和放射性碳年代测定法（麦金利和Smith，2004; Schwartz，2007;白色等人，2011），建立爱尔兰选定的新石器时代墓地的年表和人口概况（表1）。已与NMI（都柏林）和NMNI（贝尔法斯特）讨论了进入集合体的问题，并已批准进入QUB的14 CHRONO中心的设施，以获得新的放射性碳年代。通过调查烧焦和未烧焦骨头的锶同位素，确定个体是否为本地/非本地人。这项工作将在布鲁塞尔自由大学Snoeck教授的监督下对来自爱尔兰组合的样品进行处理。根据已公布的动物遗骸协议（Abe等人，2002年），开发和应用一种新的地理信息系统标准，用于记录和显示人类遗骸上的切割痕迹，以促进对断肢和去肉技术的交叉比较分析（使用ESRI制作的ArcGIS Pro 2.6.0）。进行组织埋藏学研究，以确定在爱尔兰的网站选定的埋葬（有和没有切割痕迹）的骨骼微观结构的成岩变化，以确定个人是否受到分解前处理。这将提供关于重建尸体和死后停尸过程的额外见解（Brönnimann等人，2018年）。通过研究现有的已出版的作品，对已发现切割痕迹的当代英国遗址（例如，肯特的科尔德拉姆墓室;剑桥郡的哈登汉姆长手推车;奥克尼的夸特内斯墓室）进行审查，以便于与爱尔兰材料进行比较。整理成一个数据库，并将年表和人口概况与太平间做法相互参照，利用地理信息系统，通过对太平间数据的统计调查，查明埋葬仪式的区域差异。