Social arrangements. Kinship, descent and affinity in the mortuary architecture of Early Neolithic Britain and Ireland

Abstract This article reassesses the social significance of Early Neolithic chambered tombs. It critically evaluates inferences about organization drawn from tomb architecture and interpretations kinship based on aDNA analyses human remains Adopting perspective that is a multifaceted ongoing field practice, it argues arrangement chambers was related to negotiation kinship. Drawing together biological relatedness with chamber arrangements, suggests variation in architectural arrangements sequential modification tombs relates different ways negotiating aspects kinship, particularly descent affinity. presents how negotiated at regions Britain Ireland concludes increasingly possible gauge pattern diversity negotiations affinity by combining strands evidence, including arrangement.