Burial Terminology

A Guide for Researchers

With archaeological practices being as varied as the cultures they study, little advance has been made to standardize the nomenclature used in the Western scientific world to describe the physical aspect of burial and other forms of body disposal, which would allow researchers to describe and precisely compare these unique and revealing practices. Prominent archaeologist Roderick Sprague finally presents a long-overdue and much-needed logical outline of the variables that should be listed to describe bodies, grave goods, and tombs, establishing standard terms for the archaeologists who excavate these burials. Drawing from examples and terminology in historical archaeology, prehistory, ethnography, and forensic anthropology, this well illustrated, practical, and user-friendly reference text will be indispensable to all researchers in these and related fields.