Cremated and burnt bones from prehistoric settlement contexts & Iron Age burials on Åland

The Research Seminar Series in Archaeology and Environmental archaeology invites you to a seminar with Jan Storå, Stockholm University, “Through fire and flames - on the analysis of cremated and burnt bones from prehistoric settlement contexts and Iron Age burials on Åland”.

Abstract: An analysis of Late Iron Age burials from the Åland Islands sheds light on the cremation ritual and how they were performed. Most cremations contain burnt fragments that have been exposed to high temperatures with fully incinerated and white-coloured bone fragments. However, occasionally the cremation was not fully successful leaving some bones that exhibit “lower” levels of firing. The bones have most often been moved from the place of the pyre to the place of deposition. The level of firing of bone fragments may provide important clues for the understanding of the cremation rituals and the handling of the remains. Different aspects of the methodological challenges but also potentials of the analyses will be discussed at the seminar. Also, analyses of burned bones in settlement contexts will be briefly discussed. 

Learn more about Jan Storå

About the seminar series

The Research Seminar Series in Archaeology and Environmental Archaeology presents and discusses current research in archaeology and environmental archaeology.
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