Classification of Post-medieval Secondary Mortuary Practices and Disturbances

Abstract

This paper outlines a general classification of secondary burial practices and intentional disturbances in post-medieval funerary objects and areas. The classification is based on knowledge of the living culture from the historic record, from which archaeological and taphonomical consequences are inferred. The intentionality of secondary impacts is categorised by object (e.g. buried individuals, grave goods, funeral object as a complex), mechanism (e.g. exhumation, destruction, damage, additional deposition, removal) and the intentions of human agents (e.g. sanitation, re-burial, looting, acquiring prestige, reuse, dishonour).