Comparing Neanderthal and Islamic Burial Rituals
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Neanderthals
Muslims
How soon did each group bury their deceased after death?
Not known for sure, but it is assumed it was immediate.
Within 24 hours, the extensive burial procces begins.
How was the body treated by the two groups?
May have defleshed, perhaps for cannibalist purposes.
Series of ritualistic washings and wrappings are required.
Was religion incorporated into the burial pracitices?
Nearly impossible to know for sure, but the treatment of the body suggests that Neanderthals believed in some sort of afterlife, which was most likely the cause of their symbolic burials.
Religion is a very large part of the burial process. Prayers are regularly said, and each step in the burial process is connected to the Muslim faith.
What did the burial sites consist of for the two groups?
Simple, sometimes with evidence of flowers, tools, animal remnants, or personal items. Gravestones were rare.
Very simple but purposeful graves, lots of meaning attached to every actions (i.e. head turned toward Mecca, etc)
What is/was the purpose behind burying the dead within each of the groups?
It's possible that they buried their dead just to keep the animals away from the body, but the artifacts that would have most likely had sentimental value suggest that there may also have been a spiritual side to the burials.
Muslims believe that the dead are taken directly to Heaven after burial (and interrogation by angels), and therefore the body and the way it is prepared is important.
How many people are typically found in a grave?
Usually buried in single graves, but sometimes mass graves are found.
It is forbidden to bury more than one person per grave in the Muslim culture, so all grave are single.