An atypical Iron Age burial from Knowth was recorded as a
‘careless’ deposit. Re-examination
indicates a prone burial and we suggest that the deprivation of the face may be
deliberate. We argue that the power
wielded by the face has been overlooked in bioarchaeology. Saturated with
culturally produced meanings, the face is a powerful site of personhood and
identity formed at the interface of the social and physiological. The face-to-face relationship is an essential
primacy for investigation into the lived experience of the world. De-facing the individual limited the deceased’s
spiritual prospects but also reduced their impact on the living.