Assessing spatial dispersion of human remains in collective burials: A GIS approach to the burial-caves of the Nabão Valley (North Ribatejo, Portugal)

• Author(s): Tomé, Tiago ; Cunha, Cláudia ; Silva, Ana Maria ; Oosterbeek, Luiz ; Cruz, Ana
• Date: 2017
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10451/35232
• Origin: Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa
• Subject(s): Collective burials; Geographic Information Systems; North Ribatejo; Tombes collectives; Systèmes d’Information Géographique; Haut Ribatejo
• Document Type: Book part
• Language: English
• Contributor(s): Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto da ULisboa

Description

Two burial-caves of the Nabão Valley, Gruta do Cadaval and Gruta dos Ossos, each containing the remains of circa 30 individuals, were the subject of a GIS assessment, aiming at the definition of spatial dispersion patterns for the human skeletal remains. Results indicate that, although there are some general similarities in these burials, differing spatial patterns exist among both caves, particularly regarding concentrations of adult versus non-adult remains, as well as on the spatial distribution of specific skeletal parts.