Burial containers - A hidden aspect of mortuary practices: Archaeothanatology at Ban Non Wat, Thailand

► Archaeothanatology allows inference of burial container form (burial context) from the position of skeletal elements. ► We describe a method for applying archaeothanatology to burials post-excavation, using photographs. ► We apply this method to 133 human burials from Ban Non Wat, Northeast Thailand. ► We show that burial context changed over time from heterogeneity to homogeneity in late prehistory. ► Archaeothanatology shown to be usefully applied post-excavation using photographs.