Linear Burial

A Linear Burial is a mode of interrment for the remains of deceased individuals, arranging such remains and grave goods in a series of underground chambers distributed in a linear form. This mode of burial, for its association with ostentatious grave foods, is usually associated with high status in life.

A Linear Burial is considered a secondary burial and must have occurred after the initial burial reflected in the pryin ceremony.

Archaeology

Linear Burials date to the 8th century BCE in Themiclesia and was practiced by some of the earliest Meng ethnic settlers in that country. It is notable, however, that Linear Burials are not practiced as such in Menghe where such settler culture originated only a few generations ago.

Throughout the Themiclesian Dark Ages, Linear Burials were practiced in a fairly consistent form. Into the Archaic Period, these burials experienced "vertical elboration", which expanded upon the linear shape with branches or reduplications of chambers to make them even more elaborate.

Form and symbolism

A Linear Burial is always built latitudinally, oriented east-west. It is variable in terms of its length and width, but the consistent maximum is ten chambers next to each other. The burial chamber where the sarcophagus would have been placed is not clearly identified but is usually considered to be the westermost room.

A Linear Burial is associated in some way with the archaic palace compound, which consisted of an enclosed, rectangular courtyard and a series of connected rooms built on the far side of the courtyard's gate. This relationship is subject to interpretation, however, since it seems the form of the burial outdates the form of the compound. It seems unexplained, however, for early Themiclesians to model their houses after their tombs.

There are plenty of Linear Burials that are found within palace compounds, but it remains uncertain whether they were built after the compound or the compounds after them. Additionally, the number of rooms within the compound and the burial under it rarely match. Palace compounds have as many as 18 rooms joined to each other, while the burial underneath is limited to 10. Some scholars think that an equal number of rooms between compound and burial is plausible, except the above-ground compound may have been remodelled subsequently, especially if the invisible form of the burial has been forgotten.

A Linear Burial is characterized and classified by its grave goods.