The investigation of human remains has always been central to archaeological, but archaeologists are not the only ones with an interest in their treatment. Political groups, religious organisations, descendant communities and disenfranchised interest groups are all becoming more vocal in expressing their opinions on this subject on a world stage. This book sets a new agenda for ethical studies in mortuary investigation, adducing a series of case studies which can be used to understand the questions facing burial archaeology. Who owns the dead - not just their bodies but also their stories? Do the remains themselves matter or are there other political agendas which influence interest groups? The author encourages archaeologists to be more open and inclusive when conducting mortuary projects, as it is often the perception of secrecy or interference with the dead that raises concern about the treatment of historical and scientifically important skeletal remains.
Author(s): Duncan Sayer
Series: Debates in Archaeology
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Year: 2017
Language: English
Pages: 156
City: London
Cover
Half-title
Title
Copyright
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
List of Figures
Introduction
1. Archaeology and exhumation
2. Archaeology, heritage and British burial law
3. Human decency, politics and digging the dead
4. Display, repatriation and respect for the dead
Conclusion: the problem of modernity and the ancient dead
Bibliography
Index
