4th April 2009, 11:26 AM
Dave,
I didn't say that all bodies at all times should be retained. I said that policy should be determined by evidence. In your example, the evidence points to the bodies in question being Christian, so that should be a factor in determining what to do with them. I also didn't say that unless someone has a genetic link, there is no connection. There are cultural connections, including religion, which are probably more meaningful. Everyone is genetically related, that is the thing about genes.
I'm not sure that I'd hold with the idea of immediate reburial on site. Surely that means no osteoarchaeological report, no post ex analysis. This means an incomplete archive, and a censored site report. Surely one of the duties of an archaeologist is to provide as complete an archive as is reasonable.
I didn't say that all bodies at all times should be retained. I said that policy should be determined by evidence. In your example, the evidence points to the bodies in question being Christian, so that should be a factor in determining what to do with them. I also didn't say that unless someone has a genetic link, there is no connection. There are cultural connections, including religion, which are probably more meaningful. Everyone is genetically related, that is the thing about genes.
I'm not sure that I'd hold with the idea of immediate reburial on site. Surely that means no osteoarchaeological report, no post ex analysis. This means an incomplete archive, and a censored site report. Surely one of the duties of an archaeologist is to provide as complete an archive as is reasonable.