Ritual in Early Bronze Age grave goods : an examination of ritual and dress equipment from Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age graves in England / Ann Woodward and John Hunter ; with David Bukach, Stuart Needham and Alison Sheridan.

• The exotic and impressive grave goods from burials of the 'Wessex Culture' in Early Bronze Age Britain are well known and have inspired influential social and economic hypotheses, invoking the former existence of chiefs, warriors and merchants and high-ranking pastoralists. Alternative theories have sought to explain how display of such objects was related to religious and ritual activity rather than to economic status, and that groups of artefacts found in certain graves may have belonged to religious specialists. This volume is the result of a major research project that aimed to investigate Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age grave goods in relation to their possible use as special dress accessories or as equipment employed within ritual activities and ceremonies. Many items of adornment can be shown to have formed elements of elaborate costumes, probably worn by individuals, both male and female, who held important ritual roles within society. Furthermore, the analysis has shown that various categories of object long interpreted as mundane types of tool were in fact items of bodily adornment or implements used in ritual contexts, or in the special embellishment of the human body. 

Ämnesord

Kopparåldern  (sao)

Bronsåldern  (sao)

Gravgåvor  (sao)

Ritualer  (sao)

Begravningsseder  (sao)

Fornlämningar  (sao)

Ritual  (LCSH)

Antiquities  (LCSH)

Copper age  (LCSH)

Funeral rites and ceremonies  (LCSH)

Bronze age  (LCSH)

Grave goods  (LCSH)

Storbritannien  -- England.

Indexterm och SAB-rubrik

Je.15 Arkeologi: Brittiska öarna (Storbritannien): bronsåldern

Je.02 Arkeologi: Brittiska öarna (Storbritannien): bosättningar, kultplatser, gravskick

Klassifikation

GN700-890 (LCC)

203.8809362 (DDC)

Je.15 (kssb/8)

Je.02 (kssb/8)