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The compass direction a burial faces, set by tradition.
Also known as: Burial orientation, East-facing burial
Burial orientation is prescribed differently by tradition: Christian graves conventionally face east, Muslim graves face Mecca, and Jewish practice varies by community. Orientation is one of the most durable archaeological indicators of a burial's religious context.
Sets the compass direction a body is laid in, prescribed differently across religious traditions.
Contexts: Religion
Provides one of the most durable archaeological indicators of a burial's religious context, since orientation survives where grave goods and markers do not.
Contexts: Religion
The direction a grave's long axis points, seen as the line along which rows of markers are set.