Archaeology and contemporary death: Using the past to provoke, challenge and engage

Abstract

While death is universal, reactions to death and ways of dealing with the dead body are hugely diverse, and archaeological research reveals numerous ways of dealing with the dead through time and across the world. In this paper, findings are presented which not only demonstrate the power of archaeology to promote and aid discussion around this difficult and challenging topic, but also how our approach resulted in personal growth and professional development impacts for participants. In this interdisciplinary pilot study, archaeological case studies were used in 31 structured workshops with 187 participants from health and social care backgrounds in the UK, to explore their reactions to a diverse range of materials which documented wide and varied approaches to death and the dead. Our study supports the hypothesis that the past is a powerful instigator of conversation around challenging aspects of death, and after death care and practices: 93% of participants agreed with this. That exposure to archaeological case studies and artefacts stimulates multifaceted discourse, some of it difficult, is a theme that also emerges in our data from pre, post and follow-up questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. The material prompted participants to reflect on their biases, expectations and norms around both treatment of the dead, and of bereavement, impacting on their values, attitudes and beliefs. Moreover, 87% of participants believed the workshop would have a personal effect through thinking differently about death and bereavement, and 57% thought it would impact on how they approached death and bereavement in their professional practice. This has huge implications today, where talk of death remains troublesome, and for some, has a near-taboo status–‘taboo’ being a theme evident in some participants’ own words. The findings have an important role to play in facilitating and normalising discussions around dying and bereavement and in equipping professionals in their work with people with advanced illness.

Report of the Lancet Commission on the Value of Death: bringing death back into life

“…Archaeological materials relating to historical care of the dead have been used to facilitate discussions about contemporary death and dying and understand and reflect on biases, expectations, and norms. 80 …”

Iron Age Mnemonics: A Biographical Approach to Dwelling in Later Prehistoric Britain

“…Klass et al 1996; Stroebe et al 2012; Walter 1996), and though not the focus of the present discussion, its applicability in archaeological contexts (and to archaeological interpretation) is being increasingly recognized (e.g. Büster et al 2018, 268–70; Croucher 2018; Croucher et al 2020). Indeed, the concept of maintaining ‘continuing bonds’ with the dead through material culture (such as curated artefacts) might be especially important in societies with no formal burial tradition, such as those of Iron Age Britain (Büster in press).…”

‘Problematic stuff’: death, memory and the interpretation of cached objects

“…A recent study exploring the applicability of archaeology in discussions of death, dying and bereavement with healthcare professionals (Büster et al 2018;Croucher et al 2020) reveals that objects are central to the maintenance of continuing bonds: my mum died very suddenly when I was 25 […] and just before she died, she'd bought a big tub of Horlicks [a malted-milk drink powder] which she gave to me for some reason, because she bought two on offer or something, and I could not throw this away. It was in the cupboard for five years!…”