Archaeol Rev Cambridge 11 (1)

Reviews recent theoretical debate on death, especially since the 1981 publication of The Archaeology of Death by R Chapman, I Kinnes & K Randsborg (see 82/8393 & 93/752).

Considers the extent to which present cultural presumptions have coloured interpretations of the past, with particular reference to the status of women and infants. Historical and contemporary images are used to discuss the concepts of childhood, fertility and the legitimacy of children, and to challenge the ease with which infant burials are seen as the result of furtive disposal of unwanted offspring.

A critique of Mike Parker Pearson's 1982 paper Mortuary practices society and ideology: an ethnoarchaological study, which discusses the importance of ideology and power in the manipulation of funerary material. Considers the case of cremation in the nineteenth century.

Compares and contrasts the similar disciplines of archaeology and forensic science.

A light-hearted look at archaeologists' eternal quest -- an apparent obsession with identifying parallelisms for their finds.

Warns that modern perceptions of value of artefacts should not be applied uncritically to past societies. The argument is illustrated with reference to ancient Greek ceramics and a nineteenth century novel.