All Mixed Up: Investigating Mortuary Practice and Processes of Disarticulation Through Integrated Histotaphonomic Analysis at the Knowe of Rowiegar, Neolithic Chambered Cairn, Orkney, UK

A new perspective on Neolithic mortuary practices emerges from histological analysis of human remains at the Knowe of Rowiegar chambered cairn, Orkney. The study reveals diverse patterns of bioerosion in bone microstructure, suggesting that remains were placed in the cairn at different stages of decomposition—some immediately after death, others following a more complex, multi-stage rite. This challenges assumptions about uniformity in Neolithic burial practices and highlights the potential for varied treatment processes. The research integrates histotaphonomic analysis with osteological data to reconstruct mortuary behavior, offering insights into the social and ritual significance of disarticulation and fragmentation in Neolithic Orkney.

Tudor, T., Crozier, R., & Madgwick, R. (2024). All Mixed Up: Investigating Mortuary Practice and Processes of Disarticulation Through Integrated Histotaphonomic Analysis at the Knowe of Rowiegar, Neolithic Chambered Cairn, Orkney, UK. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 32(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-024-09673-6