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Investigation of a Romano-British rural ritual in Bedford, England

Boylston, A.; Knusel, C.; Roberts, C.A.; Dawson, M.

Authors

A. Boylston

C. Knusel

M. Dawson



Abstract

The Romano-British cemetery at Kempston, a suburb of Bedford, was excavated in 1992 by Bedfordshire County Archaeology Service and revealed 12 individuals who had been decapitated and 12 who were placed in the prone position. These practices are a regular feature of internments in rural and a few urban cemeteries dating to the late Roman period in a well-defined area of central England. The osteological findings are discussed and placed in the context of more widespread Iron Age customs.

Citation

Boylston, A., Knusel, C., Roberts, C., & Dawson, M. (2000). Investigation of a Romano-British rural ritual in Bedford, England. Journal of Archaeological Science, 27(3), 241-254. https://doi.org/10.1006/jasc.1999.0451

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Mar 1, 2000
Deposit Date Oct 13, 2009
Journal Journal of Archaeological Science
Print ISSN 0305-4403
Electronic ISSN 1095-9238
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 27
Issue 3
Pages 241-254
DOI https://doi.org/10.1006/jasc.1999.0451
Keywords Decapitation, Prone burial, Ritual.
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1565291