Abstract

There is a clear need for archaeology to reach out to the public. Controversy surrounding the archaeology of human remains continues to cultivate misunderstandings between archaeologists, aboriginal groups, and the public. The following is a proposal for an interactive burial, which will be an innovative and informative tool for interfacing with the public about various perspectives, issues, and questions related to burial archaeology. The interactive CD ROM introduces the basic units and methods of human skeletal analysis and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each analytical method. Five self-directed fictional burial excavations allow the user to explore various aspects of burial archaeology, including context, preservation, research, and repatriation. Respect for multiple perspectives concerning human remains is emphasized, and other ideas are presented as legitimate and equitable. Highlights include the contribution archaeology makes to the forward progress of knowledge and to a greater understanding of the human condition.