Long Dead But Not Forgotten: The Hidden Details of Rural Family Cemeteries

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)" , at the 2022 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Rural family cemeteries are ubiquitous across the United States and, while they have been intensively studied, there is still a great deal to learn about these resources from an archaeological and burial practice perspective. Rural family cemeteries can also reflect the economic, social, ethnic and cultural heritage of a community. The Embrey Family Cemetery #3 is a prime example of this resource type. This paper aims to not only discuss the archaeological results from the excavation and reinterment of the Embrey family, but also how this small family cemetery fits into the larger theme of rural family cemeteries, specifically in Stafford County, Virginia. A close examination and comparison of the above- and below-ground elements of this cemetery to other interment areas will show how they fit into the larger network of family cemeteries, and their ability to provide information regarding burial traditions and cultural status in the region.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SHA 2022 General Sessions   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2022

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology