The Funeral Kit: A Newly Defined Canaanite Mortuary Practice Based on the Middle and Late Bronze Age Tomb Complex at Ashkelon

Abstract

The Middle and Late Bronze Age tomb complex at Ashkelon yielded many in situ burials allowing for a detailed examination of the grave goods that accompanied them. Based on these data, I have concluded that a specific set of ceramic vessels and non-ceramic items were deposited with each individual and refer to this set as the funeral kit. The funeral kit was not meant to convey wealth or status within the community, but rather reflects the funerary ceremony and the ancients' beliefs about the afterlife. This article identifies the components of the funeral kit, traces its development from the MB IIB/C through the LB I/II, the period of time the Ashkelon tomb complex was in use, and discusses its function in the funerary and mortuary setting.

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