The Archaeology of Death and Burial in the Islamic World

Petersen, Andrew

doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199569069.013.0014

Cited by 23 publications

(34 citation statements)

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“…They were covered predominantly with wooden planks, and despite a soil type excellent for preservation, no clothing remnants and few grave accessories were found (Draşovean et al, ). These conditions are consistent with typical Islamic burial practices (Petersen, ). The human remains from this site represent a portion of the Islamic population who lived inside the walled garrison at Timişoara.…”

Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 86%

Biological diversity in an Islamic archaeological population: A radiogenic strontium isotope and craniometric analysis of affinity in Ottoman Romania

Allen

Mills

Knudson

et al. 2020

American J Phys Anthropol

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Objectives Written accounts, as well as a previous craniometric study, indicate that migrations of non‐Europeans and conversions of Europeans to Islam define Ottoman communities in Early Modern Europe. What is less clear are the roles of migration and admixture in generating intra‐communal variation. This study combines craniometric with strontium isotope data to compare the cranial affinities of locally born and immigrant individuals. We predict that locally born individuals are more likely than non‐locals to show evidence of admixture. Materials and Methods Radiogenic strontium isotope data for 21 Ottomans were compared against archaeological faunal values. Sixteen individuals with intact crania were also measured and compared against two comparative source populations from Anatolia and Europe. Discriminant function analysis assigned unclassified Ottoans to either comparative group based on typicality probabilities, with potential admixture established via intermediate morphology between the two source populations. Results Strontium isotope values revealed relatively high proportions of non‐locals, consistent with high mobility documented historically. The sexes differed, with more males classifying as “typically Anatolian” than females. Locals and non‐locals also had different cranial affinity patterns, with most classifying either as “typically Anatolian” or “typically European.” Contrary to expectation, none of the locals were identified as intermediate, suggesting admixture rates were relatively low. Conclusions Consistent with historical records, the results revealed high levels of extra‐regional migration, with most individuals identifiable as either typically Anatolian or European. Moreover, locals and non‐locals differed craniometrically, with no signs of admixture between Anatolian migrants and European converts in locals. This suggests intra‐communal divisions were maintained.

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Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 86%

Biological diversity in an Islamic archaeological population: A radiogenic strontium isotope and craniometric analysis of affinity in Ottoman Romania

Allen

Mills

Knudson

et al. 2020

American J Phys Anthropol

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“…right elbow in individual syr013, left shoulder in individual syr005). The wrapping, the position and orientation of the bodies facing Mecca are concordant with Muslim funerary rituals following Early Islamic burials 21 , however, these individuals were not buried in a traditional Muslim cemetery. This may be explained due to special circumstances of death or cultural identity: nomadic populations, pilgrims, deviant burials or plague victims.…”

Section: Description Of the Burialsmentioning

confidence: 66%

“…Therefore, the archaeological record does not support that these burials belong to a cemetery for a specific community. It is suggested that these burials may belong to nomadic populations, pilgrims, or plague victims 21 .…”

Section: Archaeological Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioarchaeological analysis of one of the earliest Islamic burials in the Levant

Srigyan

Bolívar

Ureña

et al. 2020

Preprint

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The Middle East plays a central role in human history harbouring a vast diversity of ethnic, cultural and religious groups. However, much remains to be understood about past and present genomic diversity in this region. Here, we present for the first time, a multidisciplinary bioarchaeological analysis of two individuals dated to late 7th and early 8th centuries from Tell Qarassa, an open-air site in modern-day Syria. Radiocarbon dates, religious and cultural burial evidence indicate that this site represents one of the earliest Islamic Arab burials in the Levant during the Late Antiquity period. Interestingly, we found genomic similarity to a genotyped group of modern-day Bedouins and Saudi rather than to most neighbouring Levantine groups. This is highlighted through substantial Neolithic Levant ancestry in our samples, inviting an alternative scenario of long-term continuity in this region. This raises questions about the influence of ancient populations and historical migrations to genetic structure in the Middle East. As our study represents the first genomic analysis of an early Islamic burial in the Levant, we discuss our findings and possible historic scenarios in light of forces such as genetic drift and their possible interaction with religious and cultural processes.

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“…We expected the largest number of skeletal remains to be under the age of 5, on the basis of understanding of mortality patterns (Lewis, ); however, there was an obvious lack of young juveniles in the Late Medieval Christian sample. Although this may be suggestive of a mortality bias (Wood et al, ), in that more infants were dying in the Medieval Islamic Period than in the Late Medieval Christian Period, it is far more likely that the age distribution seen in this sample is due to a cultural mortality bias (Saunders & Hoppa, ), as we know that Islamic infant burials were in separate areas (Petersen, ) and Christian infants and children were preferentially buried within the church (Hausmair, ). There was also a sampling and excavation bias, where the cemeteries in Santarém were not fully excavated and not all internments were removed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Linear and appositional growth in children as indicators of social and economic change during the Medieval Islamic to Christian transition in Santarém, Portugal

Gooderham

Matias

Liberato

et al. 2019

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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This study explores whether child growth has signalled periods of social change between the Medieval Islamic and post‐Islamic Christian Periods in Santarém, Portugal. The social change is associated with the Christian conquest of Iberia and the fall of the Islamic Empire in Europe, which ceased the regional influence of the Golden Age of Islam. This may have caused a deterioration in living conditions brought by the Christian conquest, compared with the social improvements brought by the Medieval Islamic Empire. Forty‐two juvenile skeletons were taken from three Medieval Islamic and three Late Medieval Christian sites excavated in the city of Santarém, Portugal. Age was estimated from tooth length. Linear growth for all long bones and appositional growth of the femur midshaft were compared with expected growth from the Denver Growth Study, using z scores. Significant growth deficit was found throughout the Medieval Islamic and Christian Periods in Santarém, as well as a deficit in apposition of cortical bone. Although children in the post‐Islamic Christian period showed a trend towards greater linear and appositional growth deficits, these differences were not statistically significant. Children in Medieval Islamic and Late Medieval Christian Periods show significant growth disruption, suggesting that in Santarém, the post‐Islamic Medieval Christian period may not have witnessed a decrease in living conditions after the fall of Islamic rule in the territory. Further studies that incorporate more samples from the Islamic and Post‐Islamic Periods as well as pre‐Islamic population samples are needed to explore the possibility that the Islamic Period was more favourable for child growth.

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The Archaeology of Death and Burial in the Islamic World

Cited by 23 publications

References 0 publications

Biological diversity in an Islamic archaeological population: A radiogenic strontium isotope and craniometric analysis of affinity in Ottoman Romania

Biological diversity in an Islamic archaeological population: A radiogenic strontium isotope and craniometric analysis of affinity in Ottoman Romania

Bioarchaeological analysis of one of the earliest Islamic burials in the Levant

Linear and appositional growth in children as indicators of social and economic change during the Medieval Islamic to Christian transition in Santarém, Portugal

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