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From infancy to death? An examination of the African burial ground in relation to Christian eighteenth century beliefs
Abstract
The dissertation investigates the articulation of race, class, and religion among Africans in colonial New York and the methods used by these individuals to resist the oppressive conditions of Northern bondage. Men's, women's, and children's burials from the African Burial Ground Project in New York city will be compared to burial sites in The Netherlands, Suriname, and England in order to understand the range of mortuary practices available to captive Africans, and their influence on various social relationships constructed throughout the old and new world. Archaeological evidence will be used to explore social roles from burial positions and grave goods associated with individuals, emphasizing the cultural symbolic ritual of mortuary behavior.
Subject Area
Religion|Archaeology|Cultural anthropology
Recommended Citation
Mathis, Ruth Annette, "From infancy to death? An examination of the African burial ground in relation to Christian eighteenth century beliefs" (2008). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI3325249.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI3325249