The Ritual Killing and Burial of Animals
European Perspectives
Uncovering how communities across Europe used animal sacrifice and deposition to express belief, identity and power from prehistory to the recent past
The killing and burial of animals in ritualistic contexts is encountered across Europe from Prehistory through to the historical period. This volume presents the state of research across Europe to illustrate how comparable interpretative frameworks are used by archaeologists working with both prehistoric and historical societies.
Key questions include: How easy is it to identify ritually killed animals in the archaeological record? Can we tell if an animal has been killed specifically for such a purpose? Is it possible to reconstruct the rites associated with their deposition? What insights can be gained about the religious paradigms and ritual systems of the societies engaged in animal sacrifice?
Together, the 16 chapters in this book represent a still relevant snapshot of the state of research on this fundamental, recurring and spectacular aspect of human societies in the past.
Published by Oxbow in 2011.
What have people said about this book?
“Overall, this is a genuinely interesting assemblage of research, not only for the zooarchaeologically oriented or the ritually inclined as the generally fascinating nature of the topic of study makes it a thought-provoking read.” — Eric Tourigny, Medieval Archaeology
