Human Remains and Funerary Rites in the Phoenician Necropolis of Motya (Sicily)

Bibliographic Data

ID12371333
AuthorsG Lauria (0000-0002-0122-7093, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie biologiche, chimiche e farmaceutiche (STEBICEF) University of Palermo Palermo Italy, corresponding author), P Sconzo (0000-0002-4818-9899, Dipartimento di Culture e Società University of Palermo Palermo Italy), Gioacchino Falsone (University of Tübingen), Luca Sìneo (0000-0001-8634-2295, University of Palermo)
Year2017
Volume27
Issue6
Pages1003-1011
Publication date2017-08-15
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Osteoarchaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1047-482X • E-ISSN: 1099-1212
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/oa.2611
OpenAlexW2948290025
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited14

The aim of this paper is to examine the fresh evidence retrieved in the early cemetery or ‘archaic necropolis’ (eighth to sixth century bc ) on the island of Motya, one of the main Phoenician colonies in the Mediterranean. Because of its integrity and the large number of finds, the cemetery has been considered one of the most relevant sites for the study of early burial customs in the West. The absence of anthropological data, completely neglected in the past, was a major shortcoming of previous research. This failing is now being rectified by a new project of fieldwork and excavation undertaken on the island by a team from Palermo University. This report provides a close examination of the human remains from a group of 32 graves discovered during three seasons (2013–2015) in a combined archaeological and taphonomic perspective and contributes to shed light on the funerary practices of the Phoenicians in Sicily. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Ancient history · Archaeology · Excavation · Geography · Grave goods · Phoenician · Taphonomy · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Archaeology and Historical Studies · History · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology