Topic title: The Living and the Dead: Understanding Burial Variation
- Instructor: Katie Whitaker
- Day/Time: Tuesday 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM in the Winter 2023 "S" term at UTM
- Prerequisite: (ANT200H5 and ANT204H5) or permission of the department
Course Description:
Death is an unavoidable part of life and yet the ways in which we dispose and commemorate the dead is unique across both time and geographic space. Human remains are a fundamental part of archaeological discoveries and have informed our understanding of cultural practices, norms, and unusual circumstances with respect to both the deceased and the living. Beyond the basics, the class will explore burial and funerary practices around the world within the context of several themes including unexpected and planned preservation, the role of ritual, alterations to the norm because of disease or natural disaster and the perspective and role of the living in end-of-life events.