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| End of Summer Fishing (2013) |
When excavating graves, studying merely the skeleton of
the deceased is an extremely poor way of understanding and piecing together
that particular person’s life. Analysing material grave goods, although
difficult to understand exactly what significance they played In the life of
the individual, gives archaeologists and anthropologist a small glimpse into
what was important to both the deceased and the mourner’s lives at that particular
time. Material grave goods are a distorted reflection of society at that
particular period of time.
In my Archaeology of Death
class we were given the blog prompt to think about what we personally, and
others, would put in our own graves. The first couple people I asked immediately
said that they’d bury my dog Bentley with me. Evidently, this would be slightly
morbid seeing as he’s still alive and well, therefore something a little more
humane would be to include Bentley’s collar. Bentley and I have been inseparable
since our first meeting in Cow Bay, Nova Scotia. He’s lived with me in New
Brunswick, Alberta, and now Victoria, were he’s grown to be the third roommate and
best friend of stressed out university
students. By including his collar as a grave good, although not lavish and
expensive, I believe it would be a great representation of the bond I have with
dogs, and animals in general.
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| Home (2013) |
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| Bentley (2014) |
I
asked a very close friend what she would dress me in for my burial and she
instantly listed off a beautiful, and what I think personally, is a terrific
final outfit choice: a button up plaid-flannel, complete with comfy jeans, and
birkenstocks with wool socks. Not being dressed in the traditional formal
clothing that the deceased are often dressed in, would definitely raise some
questions amongst the archaeologists that dug me up.
Everyone
who knows me knows that I am extremely proud to be from the East Coast of
Canada, Therefore, I would also include both a Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
flag in my burial. These flags represent my roots, and the pride I have for the
Maritimes.
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| Near Halifax, NS (2012) |
