Mortuary Archaeology
This course provided students with the information to better understand and interpret mortuary practices throughout time. Dr. Newton took the class on a walk through Little Lake Cemetery in Peterborough to observe different mortuary patterns throughout the plots and burials. Assessments included active engagement and participation, a group lab assignment, and a cemetery assignment based on mortuary patterns observed at Little Lake Cemetery.
I have learned throughout my academic journey that the dead have a lot to tell, about much more than themselves. What’s left at a burial site or grave can tell us not only about the person(s) who died, but also about who buried them. Mortuary practices are conducted by and for the living, not the dead. There’s something fascinating about how mortuary trends change over time, which reflects the societies they belong(ed) to.
There were students from Durham and Peterborough campus enrolled in this course. Dr. Newton has offered this course at Durham in the past and has taken students on a walk through a cemetery across the street from the Anthropology House; Union Cemetery. Considering her familiarity with the cemetery, she encouraged students from the Durham campus to conduct their research at Union Cemetery. I found this to be extremely helpful, as I was able to visit the cemetery as many times as needed to conduct my research. I found the original sections of the cemetery to be the most appealing and found certain trends that peaked my interest. I decided to conduct research on mortality rates of younger demographics as I observed there were a noticeable quantity of child burials in the original sections.
Union Cemetery, Oshawa
Photograph by Aya Yagnaya
My Coursework