What role can archaeology play in the documentation of medieval Jewish cemeteries?
While the religious sensitivities connected with the excavation of human remains must be respected, ancient Jewish places of burial can offer important information on the demography, life-expectancy, and cultural connections of their communities. Medieval Jewish cemeteries were generally located outside town walls, and were often enclosed by walls and ditches. Thus the mapping and documentation of the cemeteries can contribute to a better understanding of the physical evolution of many European towns and cities and the geographical situation of Jewish communities within them. The inscriptions on gravestones, the alignment of graves, and the date of abandonment of a particular cemetery may offer additional important information on the community’s history.
