Sub-adult graves in Şanlıurfa-Turkey: on the concept of childhood

Year 2013, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 1 - 15, 31.12.2013

N. Serpil Altuntek Yılmaz Selim Erdal

Abstract

Separate adults and children graveyards have been encountered in the modern Turkey as in Şanlıurfa.
This study aims to analyze possible reasons of segregation of graves for sub-adults and establishing
separate graveyards both for adults and sub-adults. It is proposed that the roots of this difference can
be found in the definition of human development. Perceiving infants and children as “incomplete
humans” might be the main reason of keeping them apart from the domain of cultural beings.
Differences in grave places of infants and adults might be related to their bio-cultural development,
their being considered as “person” or “non-person.” 

Keywords

Sub-adult graveyards, age symbolism, human development, Islam

References

• Acsádi GY, Nemeskéri J. (1970) History of human life span and mortality. Budapest: Hungarian Academic Society.