Grave goods aren’t just for the Ancient Egyptians. Putting significant objects and items in people’s coffins or graves when they die is hugely important for many people in contemporary Britain: almost all of us will need to make a decision about them at some point in our lives.

Dr Jennifer Riley’s talk draws on her research into contemporary British grave goods, and why we need and want them.

Sometimes the objects we choose to send away with are beautiful; sometimes they’re sentimental; sometimes they’re funny; and sometimes they’re just bonkers. But they all have stories to tell about the identity of the person who’s passed away – as well as the people they’ve left behind.

Dr Jennifer Riley, is  an academic in the Divinity department at the University of Aberdeen. Jennifer is currently working on a Leverhulme Trust fellowship project exploring contemporary British ‘grave goods’– part of my broader research interests in death, dying, ritual and religion.