Reading Qs 10

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Baadsgaard, Monge, and Zettler. “Bludgeoned, Burned, and Beautified.”

Some notes: 1) Yes, this article deals with potential involuntary human sacrifice. 2) Yes, it does briefly describe some damage to bodies in order to analyze it (question 6 below). 3) No, it is not as intense as the description of what happened to Woseribre Senebkay.

 

  1. Where and when was the Royal Cemetery of Ur?
  2. What kinds of structures have been excavated at Ur?
  3. What kinds of grave goods were found in the royal tombs?
  4. What was Sir Leonard Woolley’s first theory about how all the attendants died?
  5. On p. 136, we see that several scholars have suggested less gruesome reasons for so many people to be buried in these tombs. What are these reasons? What do you think – are they plausible?
  6. Several skulls show a potential cause of death in common. What is it? (142-143)
  7. How were the bodies treated after death? Why might they do this? (144-146)
  8. How and why might cinnabar be used?
  9. Why did the attendants seem to be arranged as they were in the pit? (147-148)
  10. What can we learn about Early Dynastic Ur’s funeral customs from this site?
  11. It’s not entirely clear why the Ur kings did this. Why do you think burial practices might include human sacrifices like this?
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