Holding onto everyday items as keepsakes when a loved one dies was as commonplace in prehistory as it is today, a new study suggests.
The study from the University of York suggests mundane items like spoons and grinding stones were kept by Iron Age people as an emotional reminder and a ‘continuing bond’ with the deceased – a practice which is replicated in societies across the globe today.
The research focused on “problematic stuff”: everyday items used or owned by a deceased person that relatives might not want to reuse but which they are unable to simply throw away. [Read more…] about Tradition of keeping mementos in memory of loved ones dates back at least 2,000 years