Middle Helladic and Early Mycenaean Mortuary Practices in the Southern and Western Peloponnese

Book excerpt: This book sets out the evidence for burial practices in the southern and western Peloponnese of Greece during the middle Helladic and early Mycenaean periods (c. 2000-1400 BC), and to interpret the evidence in terms of human action. In the first section, the book details the scope of the research, whereas the remaining chapters present an analysis of the evidence to answer a range of generic questions on mortuary practices. The conclusions are interpreted in terms of the use of burial practices in the study of 'Mycenaean civilisation', confirming that variations in time and space suggest that a closer study of local and regional archaeologies should be a priority in future research aims. The Appendices contain detailed information on the sites that form the basis of the study. (This book will also appeal to those non-specialists with a serious interest in the region as a fascinating, archaeological reference work or 'guide'.)