| The
Historic Cemeteries Project explores the history of cemeteries
in western Canada in order to assess the fit between archaeological
interpretive models for prehistoric cemeteries with the documented
evidence for burial practices. The emphasis is on what is
in the ground, rather than above ground, so symbolic interpretation
rests, for example, on compass orientation of burials, grouping
of graves (e.g., by age, sex, status or kin), the nature of
burial variability within and between cemeteries, and placement
of the cemetery in the landscape. The re-use of cemeteries
and graves and the abandonment of burial places also are of
interest. The project does not involve the excavation of any
cemeteries.
In
addition to contributions to theory in the archaeology of
mortuary practices, results of this project have implications
for the management of old cemetery land, including the conservation,
protection, and/or commemoration of registered cemeteries,
unregistered (usually rural) family cemeteries, and the
traditional burial places of Canada's First Nations.
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