Humilitas versus Revenants: The Interpretation of Prone Burials in Archaeological Research

Abstract

Irregular burials show features that are deviating from the majority of burials in their contemporary geographical context. During medieval ages, prone burials are the most distinctive phenomenon of irregular burials, requiring a deliberate decision and fully consciously awareness of the burial party of placing a body in this position. Even though several studies have dealt with prone burials during prehistory, Roman and early medieval times, a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of deviant burials from the Middle Ages and modern times is still lacking for various geographical contexts, a fact that hampers any discussion of these burials on a larger scale. The aim of this study is: 1) to compile the available evidence from the German-speaking countries Switzerland, Germany and Austria after 1000 AD; 2) to evaluate which interpretations excavators and researchers attributed to those irregular burials and if there are patterns deriving from the geographical location or dating of the grave; 3) to analyze the sample for the following criteria: location of the burial (cemetery, church, settlement), sex, age, pathologies