Burial of the dead is the act of placing the corpse of a deceased person in a tomb constructed for that purpose or in a grave dug into the earth. Archaeological excavations have revealed Neanderthal graves dating back 130,000 years, marking burial as among the earliest human activities. Grave goods with the corpse suggest proper burial associated with an afterlife.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 6000 BCEBurial of the dead in Egypt.
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c. 6000 BCEEarliest Egyptian mastabas dug at Saqqara.
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c. 5000 BCEEvidence of burial in Sumer.
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c. 5000 BCEDead buried with grave goods at Banpo Village, China.
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4300 BCEFirst megalithic tombs in Europe.
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c. 4000 BCECarrowmore Megalithic Cemetery begins in Sligo, Ireland.
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c. 3300 BCEEarly Harappan Civilization of India practices burial of the dead.
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3300 BCENewgrange Burial Mound constructed in Ireland.
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3000 BCEStone tombs on Crete.
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3000 BCETomb of the Eagles created in Scotland.
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c. 3000 BCE - c. 2800 BCEMaeshowe Passage Grave completed in Scotland.
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3000 BCE - 2000 BCEFirst rock-cut burial chambers at Akrotiri.
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c. 2800 BCELater Harappan Civilization turns to cremation over burial.
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c. 2600 BCEMayan Culture buries their dead individually under homes.
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c. 2600 BCE - c. 2000 BCEThe Royal Graves of Ur used in Sumer.
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c. 2560 BCEThe Great Pyramid of Giza is constructed by Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops).
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c. 1700 BCE - c. 1600 BCEFirst shaft graves constructed at Mycenae.
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c. 1500 BCE - c. 1400 BCEFirst palace structure and Treasury of Atreus tomb built at Mycenae.
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c. 1500 BCEFirst tholos tombs built at Mycenae.
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c. 1100 BCEGreeks implement use of individual tombs and graves.
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c. 700 BCETomb of Mayan King K'utz Chman of Retalhuleu constructed in Guatemala.
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500 BCE - 300 BCERich Scythian burials.