Funerary Art

A beautiful but rather avoided topic, cemeteries are repositories of cultural anthropology. These memorials are the last record and often the last expression of who we were.

589 Pins

Trish W

an old cemetery with moss growing on it and the words, 12 fascinating things you didn't know about bonaventure cemetery in savannah

Savannah Georgia Vacation

Savanna Georgia

Savannah Georgia Travel

Georgia Travel Guide

Victorian History

Things To Do In Georgia

Quirky Characters

Bonaventure Cemetery

Georgia Vacation

Fascinating Facts About Bonaventure Cemetery Savannah | Simply Wander

Before modern technology such as heart monitors, sometimes people in comas with a low pulse rate were mistakenly buried alive. Although it was a rare occurrence, scratch marks have been found inside of caskets when bodies have been exhumed or ransacked by grave robbers. In order to prevent this from happening, a string would be tied to the finger of the deceased & attached to a bell next to the grave, which is where the phrase “saved by the bell” came from. The family would then pay someone to watch the grave, which is where the term “graveyard shift” originated. This is also why families began holding a “wake” to ensure that their loved ones didn’t wake before being buried. The phrase “dead ringer” refers to someone who resembles a deceased person as if they came back from the dead. Cultural Anthropology, Graveyard Shift, Old Cemeteries, Sometimes People, Saved By The Bell, Most Haunted, Fascinating Facts, John Muir

Cultural Anthropology

A Grave Bell, Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, GA

Before modern technology such as heart monitors, sometimes people in comas with a low pulse rate were mistakenly buried alive. Although it was a rare occurrence, scratch marks have been found inside of caskets when bodies have been exhumed or ransacked by grave robbers. In order to prevent this from happening, a string would be tied to the finger of the deceased & attached to a bell next to the grave, which is where the phrase “saved by the bell” came from. The family would then pay someone to watch the grave, which is where the term “graveyard shift” originated. This is also why families began holding a “wake” to ensure that their loved ones didn’t wake before being buried. The phrase “dead ringer” refers to someone who resembles a deceased person as if they came back from the dead.

an animal that is standing in the grass near some trees and rocks on the ground

The burial site of the people Andrew Jackson enslaved was lost. The Hermitage says it is found

The burial site of the people Andrew Jackson enslaved was lost. The Hermitage says it is found | AP News

a statue of a swan on top of a box in the middle of some grass

Harri Holkeri (1937-2011) - Find a Grave Memorial

Harri Holkeri (1937 – 2011) Former Finnish Prime Minister & U.N. General Assembly president. Hietaniemi Cemetery, Helsinki, Finland.

an aerial view of a large cemetery by the beach and ocean with many white headstones

Normandy American Cemetery at Normandy, France

The Normandy American Cemetery was dedicated in 1956 & spans 172.5 acres. It is the final resting place of 9,388 American troops, most of whom were killed during the Normandy invasion & ensuing battles. When American soldiers died while serving overseas during World War II, the next of kin were given a choice of having their loved one interred at the nearest overseas cemetery or repatriated for permanent burial in the United States. There are graves of 45 pairs of brothers (30 of whom are buried side by side), a father & son, an uncle & his nephew, 2 pairs of cousins, & 304 unknown soldiers. The epitaph on the graves of the unknown soldiers reads, “Here rests in honored glory a comrade in arms known but to God.”

four different pictures of the same monument

Davis memorial, Mount Hope Cemetery, Hiawatha, KS

Soon after Sarah Davis was buried, her husband John had her stone removed & replaced with a marble statue, which was just the beginning. Over the next decade John installed 11 marble or granite statues, many of which depicted Sarah as a young woman, an old woman, & even as an angel. There was also a statue of John resting in comfortable armchair next to an identical, empty armchair. All of these are arranged in a haphazard manner, facing in all different directions. The cost of the memorial became astronomical, which upset many people suffering under the poverty of the Great Depression. Many believed he was trying to squander his fortune so that Sarah’s family, who had always hated the man, could not touch it. Others believed he was simply an eccentric with a permanently broken heart.

the steps lead up to an old structure in the woods, and there is a sign with information about it

National Park Service

McMillin Mausoleum, San Juan Island, WA

Built by John S. McMillin, Freemason, Methodist, & wealthy businessman. He combined all of these devotions in the huge family mausoleum, naming it Afterglow Vista. The entire Neoclassical design incorporates symbolism. The open-air rotunda has a limestone table in its center, surrounded by 6 stone chairs where each family member is interred. There are 6 columns, with one broken column representing unfinished work in one's life. The steps up to the monument were numbered with Masonic significance representing several things; Afterglow Vista has been called a "Masonic landmark". There are also symbols from the Bible & Sigma Chi fraternity. Located on 10 acres of wooded land, visitors must traverse trails that lead through a much more modest cemetery where McMillin’s workers are buried.

The Official Frito-Lay Magician

A WWII hero wounded in Saipan, while in the army Harry Collins performed his magic act as part of jazz bandleader Bob Crosby's show for military troops. In 1952 he began doing magic tricks as part of promotional campaigns for Frito-Lay, a job that lasted him 45 years. In 1970, Frito-Lay named Mr. Magic their official corporate magician. He traveled across the country & world, performing magic tricks & paying homage to his beloved company, doing television commercials, making appearances at supermarkets, conventions, fairs, schools, etc. And, of course, when he performed his feats of prestidigitation, instead of "alakazam!" or "voila!," he said "frito-lay!" Cavehill Cemetery, Louisville, KY

a woman with blue eyes wearing a red sweater and a white headband is looking at the camera

Archaeological Discoveries

Fallen London

The Revenant

Interesting Articles

Reconstruction reveals face of a 17th century ‘vampire’ in Poland | CNN

some people are walking around in the grass with orange and yellow flowers on them,

Mexican Traditions

North Carolina Homes

Handmade Flowers Paper

At a historic cemetery in the South, a Dia de los Muertos festival takes root

Dia De Los Muertos North Carolina cemetery : NPR

Related searches

America's oldest known tombstone | CNN

Often referred to as the “Knight’s Tombstone” from the carved depressions of a knight & shield on its surface. These originally held engraved brass inlays, missing at the time of discovery in the chancel of Jamestown Memorial Church, Jamestown, VA. It is the only known tombstone in the English colonies with engraved monumental brass inlays, a style popular in England at that time. The marker’s placement in the church dates to 1627, but little else was known. Analysis of microfossils within the limestone determined that the fossils were from Europe. This led to a 17th century Belgian tombstone export business, where it's theorized the stone was quarried. The marker likely belonged to colonial governor Sir George Yeardley based on a reference to it in the 1680s will of his step-grandson.

Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier

Arlington National Cemetery

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier serves as a symbolic grave for all war dead whose remains have not been found or identified. The Tomb began with one unknown service member from World War I, & today is the grave of three unidentified service members. Its meaning has evolved to represent the memory of all military members throughout American history. Tomb Sentinels from the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment’s “The Old Guard” have guarded the Tomb for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year regardless of the weather, since 1948. Honor, respect, & commitment are why this place continues to be guarded 24 hours a day, as per tradition, even during hurricanes & blizzards. The Tomb Guards have contingencies if the weather conditions ever place the soldiers at risk of injury or death.

a cemetery with many blue crosses and flowers growing in it's garden area,

Pere Lachaise Cemetery

Cimitirul Vesel, the Merry Cemetery | Billion Graves

In 1936, Stan Patras began carving wooden crosses to mark the graves of community members in his small town of Săpânța, Romania. Each was uniquely designed for the deceased. Patras painted brilliant colors on the memorials, including their occupation, hobby, or talent, such as shepherds tending their sheep, or mothers cooking. He didn’t confine himself to traditional flowery epitaphs either. Inscriptions include references to priests that envy the wicked, drunkards, & mother-in-law jokes. His apprentice, Dumitru Pop, continues the work, carving & painting 20 -30 grave markers each year, as needed.

sunbeams shine through the trees in an old cemetery

Okunoin

Okunoin is Japan’s largest cemetery, with over 200,000 graves & memorial monuments spanning a bit over 1 mile. Opened in 835 AD, many gravesites belong to monks & feudal lords. It houses the mausoleum of Kūkai, founder of the Shingon school of esoteric Buddhism. Mount Kōya, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.

Explore

Funerary Art

A beautiful but rather avoided topic, cemeteries are repositories of cultural anthropology. These memorials are the last record and often the last expression of who we were.

589 Pins

Trish W