Remembering the Dead in the Ancient Near East: Recent Contributions from Bioarchaeology and Mortuary Archaeology

A multi-disciplinary approach integrating bioarchaeological data with traditional mortuary analysis reveals deeper insights into ancient Near Eastern burial practices and societal structures. The study, focusing on sites like Qal’at al-Bahrain, demonstrates that combining skeletal and dental evidence with cultural, historical, and textual sources provides a richer understanding of how societies remembered and commemorated the dead. Key findings include evidence of population movement, ethnic interrelationships, and the treatment of disabled individuals, such as a woman from Early Dilmun period Bahrain who was buried with elaborate grave goods despite physical disabilities. The research highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration to overcome historical gaps in mortuary interpretation.

Baker, J. (2017). Remembering the Dead in the Ancient Near East: Recent Contributions from Bioarchaeology and Mortuary Archaeology. Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies, 5(1), 123–127. https://doi.org/10.5325/jeasmedarcherstu.5.1.0123