FSEM 183   Archaeology of Death & Burial

Faculty Profile for Professor De Lucia

Cultures across the globe and through time have had very different understandings of death that may appear strange or even shocking to many people today. For archaeologists, burials (both human and non-human) provide a key line of evidence for understanding conceptions of death, grief, mortuary rituals, and belief systems in the past. We can also learn about the world of the living through the study of human remains and burial practices. Bioarchaeologists study how social identity, political change, colonialism, social inequality, warfare, and other large-scale social processes manifest physically in the human body. Students take a closer look at cross-cultural variation in understandings of death and mortuary practices through archaeological evidence. Students also consider what we can learn from the study of human remains in the archaeological record. Students have the opportunity to examine archaeological datasets and conduct hands-on analyses with material objects. Students who successfully complete this seminar will receive course credit for a 100-level ANTH course and satisfy one half of their Social Relations, Institutions, and Agents area of inquiry requirement.

Kristin De Lucia is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology. She is an archaeologist specializing in the rise and decline of the Aztec Empire in Mexico and has previous experience in bioarchaeology. She is particularly interested in studying the daily lives of commoners, the development of inequality, and gender in prehistory.