Funerary ritual and symbolism - An Interdisciplinary Interpretation of Burial Practices in Late Iron Age Finland (Paperback)

The burial practices of Late Iron Age Finland, ninth to twelfth century AD, are complex and varied, with both cremations and inhumations, mound and flat cemeteries present. Deborah Shepherd explores the archaeological evidence for different funerary types, and provides interpretation of the ritual, symbolism and religious beliefs incorporated. Contact with Europe and Scandinavia and the slow process of the introduction of Christianity are highlighted as important factors in the changing pagan Finnish world. Her study also includes theoretical ideas and discussion of the study of burials in archaeology and the utility of combining ethnohistoric and archaeological data in interpreting the religious practices and beliefs in past societies.