The Use of DNA Analysis in the Archaeology of Death and Burial

Ancient DNA analyses have been conducted for about 30 years. This promising field, which has the potential to furnish important information from the biological material of burial contexts, is constantly developing. New applications and new methods are continually being proposed and results obtained are often decisive in solving historical, archaeological, and/or evolutionary questions. Since the methods for ancient DNA analyses are destructive and the results can be affected by external contamination, any work should be carried out in specialized laboratories by trained personnel and in close cooperation with archaeologists. This chapter provides theoretical considerations and practical advice about ancient DNA analyses in order to provide the basis for a constructive cross-disciplinary dialogue.