Abstract

Death customs perform a socially restorative function among cultures and are a meaningful expression of the value system of any particular culture. Death studies allow the examination of the values considered most significant by the studied culture. This thesis will examine and interpret the material culture recovered at two small cemeteries: Block 49, Utah, and Seccombe Lake, California. One result will show the material manifestation of Mormon religious beliefs in their mortuary practices. The final goal is to suggest that a more thorough examination of a religious sect's beliefs can create a general model of mortuary practices for that religious sect. From general models, we can begin to look at specific sites and understand the social, economic, and/or environmental forces that contribute to mortuary variability among members of the same religious organization.

Degree

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Anthropology

Rights

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