During the early Neolithic period little importance seems to have been placed on the identity of individuals after death. The bones of the dead were placed in large communal tombs where they were often jumbled together. This may suggest a view that the dead were important as part of a group of ancestors, rather than as individuals. Few objects are found in tombs of this period, and there are no personal grave-goods.

Well before 3000 BC this was changing and some people were buried with personal possessions including prestige objects. Practices varied across Britain but it seems that in general some social changes were happening, probably over quite a long time, which resulted in the commemoration of certain individuals. However, not everyone was buried in this way and as in the earlier Neolithic, most people were probably disposed of after death in a less conspicuous way.

At around 2500 BC the practice of individual burials was reinforced. New types of burial contain grave-goods containing objects belonging to the Beaker culture. Beaker graves not only contain personal objects such as ornaments and dress fastenings; they can also define the identity of an individual within society. For example, the inclusion of arrow-heads and wrist-guards in a burial suggests that the deceased had been an archer and perhaps a warrior.