Producing an overview of the pertinent information about the archaeological discoveries from a large cemetery excavation in a monograph is a challenge: the objective being to furnish both the specialist and non-specialist with new information in a style that is professional and accessible but not dry or formulaic. Overall, the Crossrail monograph succeeds in this aim, primarily by occurring in tandem with an online resource of more detailed data for the specialist that otherwise might have been wanting due to the expected limitations of a hardcopy publication. The text is a stimulating and engaging read, with interwoven themes presented in wide-ranging chapters, departing from the traditional monograph style of cemetery publications. The book includes an impressive and comprehensive array of analyses encompassing the documentary, geographical and scientific fields, including newly developed techniques such as metagenomic and microscopic analyses of dental calculus. Despite the breadth of the areas covered, the book is systematically presented in a clear and concise style so that the content is well structured and balanced, retaining its relevance to the central theme of what it is that we can learn from the study of human remains and burial grounds from the past, including the context of their foundation, development and abandonment.
The content is presented in a knowledgeable, factual and informative manner that makes this technical book just as useful to the specialist or professional archaeologist. This is especially the case given the extensive documentary research undertaken, including a rare and fascinating account of the keepers of the burial ground, the Clitherow family, and their financial exploits. In addition, included in the discussion are a diverse range of organic, metal, glass and ceramic artefacts, contemporary portraits, textiles and in situ finds illustrated by some of the many eye-catching images. In tandem with illustrative accounts of some of the funerals known to have taken place at the burial ground as well as details of wills of some of the incumbents, this introductory background helps enormously to set the social scene for the main focus of the book: the burial ground and its skeletons.
The osteological analysis is understandably presented in a more regular format to make the data easy to retrieve for comparison to other sites. The text is supplemented by schematic illustrations of the skeleton and its composite elements as well as a guide to the recording and reference conventions used, in a refreshing and laudable attempt to make the content easy to access for the non-specialist from the outset. The osteological analysis presented is thorough but somewhat somewhat curtailed: for example, there is limited inclusion of the data from the previous excavations undertaken at the site and the post-excavation strategy resulted in the necessary but unhelpful exclusion of some pathological skeletons from the data presented as the primary osteological analysis, although these were included as a secondary sample. Especially notable is the absence of a concluding chapter to draw out and highlight the important similarities and differences between this site and other London burial grounds. This would have been a strengthening and enhancing way to round off what is otherwise a very reasonably priced recommended reference book for the public and archaeologists alike.