 Merrifield opens The Archaeology of Ritual and Magic by discussing how archaeologists have understood magic and ritual practices in past societies , opining that on the whole it had been a neglected area of study . Looking at the archaeological evidence for ritual activity in the pre @-@ Roman Iron Age and the Roman Iron Age of Britain , he discusses animal and human sacrifice , as well as the offering of votive deposits in rivers and other bodies of water . He moves on to explore the rituals surrounding death and burial , suggesting areas where this ritual activity is visible in the burial record of multiple societies . Merrifield goes on to discuss the archaeological evidence for ritual practices in Christian Europe , highlighting areas of ritual continuance from earlier pagan periods , in particular the deposition of metal goods in water . Looking at the evidence for foundation deposits in European buildings that likely had magico @-@ religious purposes , he then looks at several examples of written charms and spells which have survived in the archaeological record . 
 Merrifield <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>opens</mark></a> The Archaeology of Ritual and Magic by discussing how archaeologists <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>have</mark></a> understood magic and ritual practices in past societies , opining that on the whole it had been a neglected area of study . Looking at the archaeological evidence for ritual activity in the pre @-@ Roman Iron Age and the Roman Iron Age of Britain , he <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>discusses</mark></a> animal and human sacrifice , as well as the offering of votive deposits in rivers and other bodies of water . He <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>moves</mark></a> on to explore the rituals surrounding death and burial , suggesting areas where this ritual activity <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>is</mark></a>visible in the burial record of multiple societies . Merrifield <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>goes</mark></a> on to discuss the archaeological evidence for ritual practices in Christian Europe , highlighting areas of ritual continuance from earlier pagan periods , in particular the deposition of metal goods in water . Looking at the evidence for foundation deposits in European buildings <a href='null_relcl' title='7'><mark>that</mark></a>likely had magico @-@ religious purposes , he then <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>looks</mark></a> at several examples of written charms and spells which <a href='been_done' title='9'><mark>have</mark></a> survived in the archaeological record . 
Merrifield open da Archaeology of Ritual and Magic by discussing how archaeologists done understood magic and ritual practices in past societies , opining dat on the whole it had been a neglected area of study . lookin at the archaeological evidence for ritual activity in the pre @-@ Roman Iron Age and tdaRoman Iron Age of Britain , he discuss animal and human sacrifice , as well as thdaffering of votive deposits in rivers and other bodies of water . He move on to explore the rituals surrounding death and burial , suggesting areas where this ritual activity visible in the burial record of multiple societies . Merrifield go on to discuss thedachaeological evidence for ritual practices in Christian Europe , highlighting areas of ritual continuance from earlier pagan periods , in particular the daosition of metal goods in water . Looking at the evidence fir foundation deposits in European buildings likely had magico @-@ religious purposes , he then look at several examples of written charms and spells which done survived in the archaeological record .