APPROVED This thesis investigates the use of anthropological approaches in the interpretation of the funerary archaeology of Prepalatial Crete (c.3200-1900 B.C.). It examines the ongoing discourse between sociocultural anthropology and prehistoric Cretan archaeology, and argues that these disciplines' development in dialogue with one another has shaped the way in which we approach fundamental questions related to Early Bronze Age funerary practice and eschatological belief. As the main source of archaeological evidence for the period, much ink has been spilt in regard to the Prepalatial tombs of Crete, yet little has been written to date in regard to the intellectual underpinning of these archaeological interpretations. This thesis demonstrates that interpretations of the tomb sites have been particularly dependent on anthropological models, interdisciplinary approaches which are necessitated by the tombs turbulent excavation history, relatively fragmentary osteoarchaeological record and lack of contemporary textual sources. Through the analysis of scholarly discussion of tomb sites across Crete, this thesis illustrates the ubiquity and substantial interpretative influence of anthropological models of transition in Prepalatial funerary archaeology, particularly those postulated by Robert Hertz, Arnold Van Gennep and Victor Turner. It argues that these universalising models are, for the most part, inconsistently and uncritically applied to the archaeological record, restricting interpretative discussion and encouraging ethnocentric judgements about the appropriate treatment of the body post-mortem, pollution, sensory experience and colour symbolism. It is emphasised that these models have aided in the perpetuation of the traditional interpretation of a Prepalatial fear or avoidance of the decomposing dead, a perspective which conflicts with recent archaeological evidence from ongoing excavations at the sites of Sissi and Petras. The thesis thus adopts an anthropological approach in its own right, advocating for scholarly self-reflexivity and reflecting on how our own socio-culturally specific conceptions of individuality, bodily decomposition and human remains have contributed to the attraction, longevity and interpretative impact of anthropological models in Prepalatial archaeological discourse. Furthermore, it investigates how alternative anthropological approaches might afford a more nuanced perspective on the multi-stage funerary practices for which there is substantial evidence at the Prepalatial tomb sites.