Thread by @BrusselsBioarch

Welcome to the first day of the 1st Cremations in Archaeology conference in Ghent!

Today we will be discussing cremations and chronology! Follow here for all the hot takes!

#CIA22 #burningresearchquestions

Igniting the conference is @Christophe_Fire presenting the work of the CRUMBEL project. Cremations, urns, isotopes, and memories. A great 5 years of research 👩‍🔬🦴🔥🗺💕 Great work team!

The CRUMBEL project has used osteology, histology, strontium, iron, copper & zinc isotopes & concentrations, oxygen & carbon isotopes, FTIR, radiocarbon dating, experimental cremations and more to investigate cremations in Belgium from the Neolithic to early Middle Ages! 🔥🦴🦷

Kicking off Session 1 is @WillisChristie with a fantastic discussion on Stone Circles 🪨 in North Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 and the importance of direct dating on these Neolithic burials!

Moving to the southern Carpathian Basin, Daria Ložnjak Dizdar presents radiocarbon dates, funerary practices and materials from 146 analysed graves from the Bronze Age to Iron Age with a really interesting focus on children! @arhkids

Now we are looking at cremations in north-east Serbia. ⚱️ @LukWaltenberger and @RealMGavranovic present their research which pushes the introduction of Bronze age urn cemeteries back 500 years in the region!

To North- Western Poland, Mateusz Stróżyk explains how the changes in burial rites and the adoption of cremation relates to the appearance of the Tumulus Culture in the Middle Bronze Age.

Lunch is over! We are now revising the burial chronology at Setefilla, Spain with Dirk Brandherm. Radiocarbon dating of cremated remains helps to better understand the Bronze Age Iron Age transition in South West Iberia! 🔥

Moving across the Mediterranean now. Natalie Branca discusses current issues with the bioarchaeological study of fire in Cyprus. What are our limitations and how can we move forward in the future? Let's find out!

Cremation burial rites in the Morova River basin now! Marek Hladík discusses the 7th-8th century Slavic funerary rites in Austria 🇦🇹, Slovakia 🇸🇰, and Czech Republic 🇨🇿 and investigates the timing and cause of the change from cremation to inhumations in the region.

Heading north to Poland where @ElzbietaJaskuls talks about cremation practices from the Late Mesolithic to the Early Middle Ages, and her investigation into 🦴 fragmentation and how that affects our ability to extract information from cremation deposits.

Where are the dead? @CapuzzoGiacomo discusses how he is using radiocarbon dated cremated remains to examine changes in funerary practices and as data to estimate paleodemographic variations in Belgium with the #CRUMBEL project! 🔥🦴🗓

Leaving Europe, @priscillaulguim ignites a great discussion on cremation in South America. Analysing over 120 sites across mainland South America provides interesting conclusions on funeral practices across the vast region.

Lastly, Omar Larentis presents research on the funerary practices of the Golasecca Civilisation, NW Italy. The research shines a light on ritual body treatment in the Iron Age & standardises cremation practices into territories & chronologies.

Stay tuned for the poster session!