A Grave Matter : A microarchaeological study of the osteological material of a Neolithic and Bronze Age cairn burial site in Lärbro, Gotland

Sammanfattning

This thesis “A Grave Matter” is a microarchaeological study of an osteological material and discusses a cairn burial from Late Neolithic and Bronze Age period. The material that the discussion builds upon comes from the cairn burial site of Stora Källstäde in Lärbro, Gotland in Sweden. The analysis was able to use osteological methods such as MNI, sex assessment, pathological assessment, and age assessment. The result of the analysis revealed a minimum of 10 individuals which ranged from foster age to child age to adult, along with a male adolescent. The result also highlighted various pathologies including enamel hypoplasia, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The analysis applied the embodiment theory and the analysis and research into the site revealed a variation of research potential for the future.