Plusieurs biais inhérents à l’estimation de l’âge au décès individuel ont conduit à privilégier l’âge populationnel en paléodémographie mais la cémentochronologie a récemment montré une forte corrélation entre âge biologique et âge réel et une précision affinée. L’annualité de l’apposition cémentaire permet de proposer une alternative à la population de référence. Notre objectif consiste à réaliser une étude paléodémographique à partir d’estimations d’âge au décès individuel obtenues par comptage des lignes d’incrément cémentaires. Nous sélectionnons la série ostéoarchéologique moderne de la cathédrale paroissiale Notre-Dame du Bourg à Digne, composée de 563 individus inhumés du XVIe au XVIIIe siècle. Suite à l’analyse des pratiques funéraires, les données des registres paroissiaux exhaustivement dépouillés de 1671 à 1721 sont comparées aux résultats biologiques et paléodémographiques des 421 adultes et 142 immatures. Les archives indiquent une population préindustrielle typique subissant une crise de mortalité en 1691-1692 et un recrutement funéraire aspécifique. L’estimation de l’âge au décès par comptage des lignes d’incrément cémentaires est appliquée à 109 adultes et aux dents déciduales et permanentes de 42 immatures. La distribution probable par âge est obtenue en calculant les probabilités d’appartenance individuelles aux différentes classes d’âges. L’analyse du recrutement est concluante puisque le profil de mortalité par âge obtenu est conforme au schéma de mortalité archaïque et à celui des archives historiques pour les adultes jeunes et matures. Notre approche est novatrice puisqu'elle rétablit l’âge individuel en paléodémographie grâce au cément dentaire. / Several biases related to age estimation led to privilege assessing age structures of populations. But cementochronology provides a better accuracy and a strong correlation coefficient with chronological age. The annual apposition of dental cementum offers an alternative to the reference population. We aim to achieve a paleodemographic study using classical age estimates obtained by cementochronology. We select the modern osteoarcheological series of the cathedral Notre Dame du Bourg at Digne-les-Bains (France), composed by 563 individuals who were buried between the 16th to the 18th century. To monitor the biological results, we examine all the parish registers from 1671 to 1721. After analyzing funerary practices, data from parish records are compared to biological and paleodemographic results from the 421 adults and 142 subadults. Historical records indicate a typical preindustrial population suffering a mortality crisis in 1691-1692. Biological data are consistent with historical sources about an unspecific funerary admission in the cathedral Notre Dame du Bourg. Cementochronology is applied to 109 adults' permanent canines and to 42 subadults' deciduous and permanent single-root teeth. We calculate the probability density function of each individual and belmonging probabilities to every age class. Our interpretation of funerary admission obtained by tooth cementum analysis is conclusive for young and middle-aged adults since the age pattern of mortality is consistent with both the archaic mortality pattern and historical records. Our approach innovates by restoring age estimates in paleodemography through the biological specificity of cementum.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the African and the Ancient Near Eastern tradition with regard to the ancestral consultation. 1 Samuel 28:3-25 was used as a point of departure. This text was used because it is the only text in the Hebrew Bible that shows the act of consulting the dead except those texts explicitly condemning the act. The study was divided into five chapters. Chapter 1 focused on the introduction and the research problem. Chapter 2 focused on the study of 1 Samuel 28:3-25 and this was done via and intratextual and intertextual analysis. The intratextual analysis of 1 Samuel 28:3-25 focused on the interrelatedness of the text on its literally level. This was done by means of a morphological, syntactical and structural analysis. The intertextual analysis focused on 1 Samuel 28:3-25 in relation with other texts in the Hebrew Bible, especially with reference to the practice of ancestral consultation. In Chapter 3 the main focus was on the Ancient Near Eastern tradition with regard to ancestral consultation and thus focused upon extratextual material. In this chapter, Mesopotamian and Israelite cultural practices were mainly considered. Customs relating to the act of consulting the dead were studied. It included funerary customs, death and mourning rites, the place and role of the dead in society. The study concluded that the act of ancestral consultation in the Ancient Near East was part of their religion. In Ancient Israel, however, it was prohibited by Yahwistic religion. Chapter 4 focused on ancestral consultation in African tradition. In this chapter, personal knowledge and experience were also important. Ancestral consultation in Africa is still a living tradition. The role of the ancestors was studied and also the role that the living have in relation to their ancestors. In this chapter the role of Christianity in Africa played pivotal role because Christianity shaped African religion of today. It is clear from the study that African Christianity still pays tribute to their dead relatives as they are believed to be closer to God. Both Christians and those who practice traditional religion agree on the role of the ancestors. In Chapter 5 the researcher brought together the information in Chapters 1 to 4. In that sense it can be regarded as the climax of the investigation into ancestral consultation as an ancient and modern cultural and religious practice. This chapter contains a comparison between African and Ancient Near Eastern tradition regarding ancestral consultation. The chapter indicates that there is a lot to compare between the two traditions, but one needs to consider the differences in time, religious perceptions, geography, economic and political background of the two traditions. This should especially be considered in evaluating the Ancient Near Eastern tradition because it is in the “archive”; we can only read and learn about it with reference to available sources, while African tradition is an existing one. In Chapter 6 the researcher summarised the main findings of the study with special reference to the research problem as discussed in the first chapter. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Ancient Languages / unrestricted