Although death is a universal phenomenon, its sequel is deeply mysterious. Is death an absolute end, or is it the beginning of something greater? Every culture and religion supplies its own answers, which are expressed through the treatment of the bodies of the dead and the memorialization of the deceased. Art, literature, and oral traditions may present more general accounts of death and its aftermath. Furthermore, concepts associated with the death and afterlife of humans have been used to describe the “life-cycles” of cities, civilizations, and artistic and literary styles.

This conference will examine a full range of historical, cultural and critical-theoretical approaches to these topics through papers by graduate students in archaeology, classics, the history of art, and cognate disciplines.

Sponsored by the Graduate Group in Archaeology, Classics and History of Art,
and the Center for Visual Culture