Le monde des morts, une archéocapsule de l’Inrap

For an archaeologist, excavating a grave means rescuing an individual from oblivion, bringing to life aspects of the society in which they lived, and understanding the role they played within it. Necropolises, cemeteries and funerary monuments provide valuable information not only about populations – their composition, health, the circumstances of their deaths and social status – but also about the concerns and questions faced by ‘those left behind’ in the face of death. Through six examples, ranging from the Palaeolithic to the First World War, this ‘Archéocapsule’, developed by the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research, offers a reflection on death.