Baggage for the Beyond? Contemporary UK grave goods practices and their meanings

Baggage for the Beyond? Contemporary UK grave goods practices and their meanings

About the project

This study explores ‘grave goods’ in the contemporary UK context.

Grave goods are any items placed with the dead when they are buried or cremated.

This study is being conducted by Dr Jennifer Riley at the University of Aberdeen, supported by The Leverhulme Trust early career fellowship scheme.

Interviews are an important part of this study.

Are you...?

  • Someone who has experienced a bereavement since the year 2000, who is willing to discuss what place grave goods had (or did not have) in mourning that loss?; And/or 
  • A death professional working in the UK?

What's involved?

Completing a short expression of interest questionnaire
Reading some information about the study, and signing a consent form
A 1:1 interview with Dr Jennie Riley, on the subject of grave goods (Interviews typically last 45 minutes, and take place on Microsoft Teams) 

When?

Interviews will take place in late 2024 and throughout 2025.

Please note

You should:

  • Be over 18
  • Be based in the UK (or talking about a UK-based bereavement, burial or cremation)
  • Feel able to reflect on your experiences of bereavement and associated funerals and rituals

I advise that if your bereavement is quite recent, you may wish to think carefully about whether or not now is the right time for you to volunteer. Please feel free to contact Jennie to discuss whether or not you might like to participate – and thank you very much for considering participating.

Get Involved

To express interest in participating, please complete the short consent and expression of interest form below.

The Participant Information sheet for this study can is also below.

If you would like more information, please contact jennifer.riley@abdn.ac.uk

Dr Jennie Riley – Research Fellow – Divinity and Religious Studies – University of Aberdeen