Reconstitution de gestes funéraires

In a temperate environment, during the excavation of burials, it is very rare to find the remains of shroud pieces. At the opposite, the very dry climate of the Middle Nubia can explain by itself the exceptional conservation of soft parts of the human body (hair, nails, brain, muscular fibres, human...

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Main Authors: David Peressinotto, Bruno Maureille, Yves Lecointe, Francis Geus
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Société d'Anthropologie de Paris 2001-06-01
Series:Bulletins et Mémoires de la Société d’Anthropologie de Paris
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Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/bmsap/6098
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author David Peressinotto
Bruno Maureille
Yves Lecointe
Francis Geus
author_facet David Peressinotto
Bruno Maureille
Yves Lecointe
Francis Geus
author_sort David Peressinotto
collection DOAJ
description In a temperate environment, during the excavation of burials, it is very rare to find the remains of shroud pieces. At the opposite, the very dry climate of the Middle Nubia can explain by itself the exceptional conservation of soft parts of the human body (hair, nails, brain, muscular fibres, human coprolithes) as it is frequently found at the North necropolis (SN) of the Saï island (Northern Province, Sudan). In a post X-group and ante-Muslim burial (T. 176), the excavation has allowed the discovery of a very young individual still wrapped in a shroud. It has been possible to reconstruct the shape of the shroud, the way in which it was wrapped and fixed around the body. This has allowed us to present the hypothesis that the shape of the shroud and the way to attach it have had a voluntary influence in the final position of the child in the pit, i. e. a dorsal decubitus of the body with the head hyper-flexed on the top of the trunk. Then, even if one side of the tissue of the shroud has been tear without care, its final shape is voluntary and implies a well defined funeral practice for such a child. In a Nubian archaeological context, such a practice is described for the first time —for the post X Group period in Sudan— at the Saï Island. Moreover, the limited extension of the excavated archaeological surface of this necropolis has allowed the discovery of other individuals (adults, juveniles) with important and also well preserved pieces of tissues or shrouds. Then, the taphonomical as well as the paleobiological potentialities of this necropolis seem to be very important.
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spelling doaj-art-c718c95424b04bf7807d3363b3eaaa102025-01-30T11:27:23ZengSociété d'Anthropologie de ParisBulletins et Mémoires de la Société d’Anthropologie de Paris1777-54692001-06-0113210.4000/bmsap.6098Reconstitution de gestes funérairesDavid PeressinottoBruno MaureilleYves LecointeFrancis GeusIn a temperate environment, during the excavation of burials, it is very rare to find the remains of shroud pieces. At the opposite, the very dry climate of the Middle Nubia can explain by itself the exceptional conservation of soft parts of the human body (hair, nails, brain, muscular fibres, human coprolithes) as it is frequently found at the North necropolis (SN) of the Saï island (Northern Province, Sudan). In a post X-group and ante-Muslim burial (T. 176), the excavation has allowed the discovery of a very young individual still wrapped in a shroud. It has been possible to reconstruct the shape of the shroud, the way in which it was wrapped and fixed around the body. This has allowed us to present the hypothesis that the shape of the shroud and the way to attach it have had a voluntary influence in the final position of the child in the pit, i. e. a dorsal decubitus of the body with the head hyper-flexed on the top of the trunk. Then, even if one side of the tissue of the shroud has been tear without care, its final shape is voluntary and implies a well defined funeral practice for such a child. In a Nubian archaeological context, such a practice is described for the first time —for the post X Group period in Sudan— at the Saï Island. Moreover, the limited extension of the excavated archaeological surface of this necropolis has allowed the discovery of other individuals (adults, juveniles) with important and also well preserved pieces of tissues or shrouds. Then, the taphonomical as well as the paleobiological potentialities of this necropolis seem to be very important.https://journals.openedition.org/bmsap/6098taphonomychildfuneral practicegraveshroudtissue
spellingShingle David Peressinotto
Bruno Maureille
Yves Lecointe
Francis Geus
Reconstitution de gestes funéraires
Bulletins et Mémoires de la Société d’Anthropologie de Paris
taphonomy
child
funeral practice
grave
shroud
tissue
title Reconstitution de gestes funéraires
title_full Reconstitution de gestes funéraires
title_fullStr Reconstitution de gestes funéraires
title_full_unstemmed Reconstitution de gestes funéraires
title_short Reconstitution de gestes funéraires
title_sort reconstitution de gestes funeraires
topic taphonomy
child
funeral practice
grave
shroud
tissue
url https://journals.openedition.org/bmsap/6098
work_keys_str_mv AT davidperessinotto reconstitutiondegestesfuneraires
AT brunomaureille reconstitutiondegestesfuneraires
AT yveslecointe reconstitutiondegestesfuneraires
AT francisgeus reconstitutiondegestesfuneraires