6 Feet Under

For an archaeologist, grave goods can be crucial in discerning the identity of an individual before death.  Things like pottery and weapons can give clues into who the person was, and what they did on an everyday basis.  So, what kinds of things would a future archaeologist find digging up graves of those who died in 2013? There are a multitude of possibilities, so I can only speak of what you would find in mine if I was to keel over at this very instant.

First, I would want to be wearing a pair of jeans with a nice sweater.  Nothing extravagant, but something I would wear for a special occasion. And nothing bright – I should seem at least a little sad that I have died.  I would also want to be wearing my rings, as usually there isn’t a day you’d catch me without them and each has sentimental value for one reason or another.  I would want what I was wearing to be a snapshot of what I could look like if I was walking down the street.  If I was alive, of course. 

Second is the stuff I would want to have around me.  I would want the things I never go without, such as a good book or two, and my favourite albums.  I'd also want a photo album of my family, friends, and dog, and I'd want my stuffed bear.  Now, before you start laughing, this is no ordinary bear.  I’ve had mine since I was tiny and he was bigger than me, and it would be sad to have death break that trend.  Death can be a scary thing too; it never hurts to have something there to keep you company.  And maybe some flowers to fend off that dead person smell for a little while.  I think these items would be the similiar to those that someone else would choose for me.  Perhaps they would make a few minor changes to reflect my relationship with the person – such as a particular necklace from my mom, or a bottle of tequila from my university friends – but nothing too substantial. 



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With my grave goods I would want to show what life was like for a happy university kid. I would want to get across the message that I was loved by some pretty amazing people, that I was a bit of a bookworm, and that I had excellent taste in music.  I would also want to give clues to some of the memories I cherished from throughout my life, and show how I fit into the world of 2013. 

A Brief Introduction

Anthropology was not always an interest of mine - I didn't really know what the term meant until high school.  That's when I had the experience of taking part in a Comparative Civilizations class, and became immediately captivated.  This class was made up mostly of descriptions of ancient civilizations and was animated by the antics of my teacher.  It was not a rare occurance for Mr. Holmes to jump onto a desk or two while fighting invisible enemies to act out the epic of Gilgamesh.  I owe my first fascination with the subject to this class and this teacher. Since then, I have had an interest in learning more about different cultures, both across the world and through time.

I am in my fourth year at UVic as a biopsychology major and minoring in anthropology.  No, I did not choose to major in this anthropology, but it was a very close competition.  I have mostly been focusing on cultural anthropology through my minor, however I have always been drawn to archaeology. 

Archaeology of Death is a class I am excited to take because I am interested in learning how death was dealt with in different cultures, and how this could be inferred through archaeology.  The information gained from burial sites and grave goods is the best way to dig into this topic in past cultures that no longer exist.

And bones are pretty neat too. 

-Emily