Eleanor Williams

Death in the time of Cluny: an archaeothanatological approach to the reconstruction of Cluniac funerary practices

Supervisor: Dr. Jo Sofaer

Abstract:

How the Cluniacs, one of the most influential and widespread of the medieval
monastic orders treated and managed their dead and their funerary spaces
is the focus of this talk. I will briefly explore the integrative roles that detailed
osteological, archaeological and historical research play in reconstructing
and understanding aspects of Cluniac engagement with the deceased,
from preparation of the body through to commemoration of their memory.
Specifically I question, how did treatment of the dead vary spatially and
temporally, from house to house, from the depths of Burgundy to the heart of
London?

email: ew302@exchange.soton.ac.uk