Reopening graves in the early Middle Ages

From local practice to European phenomenon

Datos Bibliográficos

ID7657243
AutoresAlison Klevnäs (0000-0003-2824-2653, Stockholm University, autor de correspondencia), Edeltraud Aspöck (0000-0001-7535-2316, Austrian Academy of Sciences), Astrid A Noterman, Astrid Noterman (0000-0002-1189-9205, Stockholm University), Martine C van Haperen (Leiden University), Stephanie Zintl (Bayerisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege)
Año2021
Volumen95
Número382
Páginas1005-1026
Fecha de publicación2021-08-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAntiquity (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0003-598X • E-ISSN: 1745-1744
EditorialAntiquity Publications (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.15184/aqy.2020.217
OpenAlexW3176544127
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas14
Referencias citadas17

Across Europe early medieval archaeologists have long recognised significant numbers of graves displaying evidence for the intentional post-burial disturbance of skeletons and artefacts. The practice of reopening and manipulating graves soon after burial, traditionally described—and dismissed—as ‘robbing’, is documented at cemeteries from Transylvania to southern England. This article presents a synthesis of five recent regional studies to investigate the evidence of and the motivations for the reopening of early medieval graves. From the later sixth century AD, the reopening of individual graves and removal of selected artefact types rapidly became part of the shared treatment of the dead across this wide area

Ancient history · Archaeology · Epistemology · Geography · Middle Ages · Phenomenon · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Historical and Archaeological Studies · History · Philosophy