Abstract/Summary

Site formation processes are an important part of archaeology, yet are often over looked in the case of bioarchaeology. Disarticulated human remains in particular are often seen as a poor source of information despite the wealth of taphonomic information that can be gained in their analysis. This thesis seeks to showcase how the use of taphonomic analysis of bioarchaeolgical assemblages can be utilised to create a process-led approach to archaeological questions with a focus on ritual. This thesis demonstrates how scientific methods can be applied to bioarchaeological material from ritual deposits to further understand the actions which created them. In order to show the effectiveness of this approach a single case study, an early Roman ritual shaft from first century AD Surrey, England was used. This study undertook a comprehensive, integrated taphonomic analysis of the human and faunal bone assemblage (n=11,422) of the Nescot shaft from Surrey, England, focusing on: fragmentation, bone representative index, gnawing, burning, cut marks, chop marks, weathering, root etching and microscopic bioerosion, as well as demographic information such as age and species. The results of this study are presented in five papers which form the core of this thesis. The first two papers detail the treatment of the human remains. There was evidence suggesting that the bodies were allowed to decompose within the shaft, and that there was likely some sort of cover over the shaft. After a significant degree of skeletonization, certain portions of the body (primarily the skulls and proximal limb bones) were removed. There was also evidence that some hand and foot bones had been curated and handled before being placed into the shaft. The third paper compares the treatment of the human remains with the faunal assemblage and explores the similarities between the treatment of people and dogs. This paper was aimed at illustrating the importance of integrating the analysis of the human and faunal material in order to examine ritual practices. It demonstrates a complex and close relationship between humans and dogs and the potential use of both species bones as ritual objects. The fourth paper examines the health and likely origin of the large (MNI=140) assemblage of dogs within the shaft. The dogs appeared to be in good health based on skeletal analysis, and likely were cared for individuals. The final paper addresses the question of ‘why’, and all previously explored strands of evidence are woven together to show the many links to fertility present within the assemblage. This thesis serves to demonstrate, using a single in depth case study, the potential of bioarchaeological data for understanding ritual practices in the past.