The Change in Rite: From Inhumation to Cremation during the Greek Dark Ages
DiBattista, Adam (Boston University)
Vexillum: The Undergraduate Journal of Classical and Medieval Studies, Vol.2 (2012)
Abstract
This paper is a re-examination of the cause of the widespread change in burial rite from inhumation to cremation during the end of the Mycenaean culture. Cremation had previously been explained as a function of Anatolian influence. This paper seeks to explain why internal societal influence is a more likely explanation for the cremation phenomenon. By examining the arrangement of grave goods, the extent of cremation, and textual evidence, I argue that previous Mycenaean practices were responsible for the emergence of cremation.
