Caution: Construction Zone/Burial Site Ahead

Imagine you're a construction worker just going about your business one day and you stumble upon this:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/pictures/110310-wet-mummy-china-ming-science-mummies

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This was a very real scenario when road-builders near Taizhou in China recently discovered a 600 year old “wet mummy” (her coffin was flooded). I didn’t know this was possible, but apparently when water is devoid of oxygen it inhibits the bacteria that would usually break down the body tissue. Since it is generally quite rare in China to mummify people, it’s been proposed that this was an accidental mummification. She had some fairly impressive grave goods which were also well preserved, including a a silver hair pin (her hairstyle was still intact), an exorcism coin and sizeable jade ring, which I find odd... Jade is a sign of wealth in China, which begs the question as to why she was found alone in a fairly remote area.

The jade ring

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/pictures/110310-wet-mummy-china-ming-science

-mummies-tomb-chinese-road/#/china-ming-dynasty-mummy-found-ring_33103_600x450.jpg

It's hard to see the pin, but you can tell how well preserved her hair is

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/pictures/110310-wet-mummy-china-ming-science

-mummies-tomb-chinese-road/#/china-ming-dynasty-mummy-hairfound_33104_600x450.jpg

The exorcism coin-said to ward off malevolent influences (wouldn't mind one of these also...)

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/pictures/110310-wet-mummy-china-ming-science

-mummies-tomb-chinese-road/#/china-ming-dynasty-mummy-found-medallion_33102_600x450.jpg

It will be interesting to see if they discover anything else around the site, and along with the roadbuilding whether they halt construction to survey the area.

They are currently looking for any scrolls or pottery that were common grave goods during the estimated time she was buried, which were used as to preserve her written biography-I think this practice should make a comeback! 

I found this article on the National Geographic Daily News site, which has some other awesome articles http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/ and I'll definitely be checking for an update on this find.

The Interesting One

Our discussions in class about memory and memorialization got me thinking about the tragedy of someone not being represented or remembered in the way they would want to be, because of tradition. All we do throughout our lives is attempt to represent ourselves the way we want to be viewed, with our clothes, language, musical preferences, food preferences and other countless aspects of our lives. Then we pass on and this life we’ve made could be eradicated in one fell swoop. Perhaps your family didn’t have the guides we all made at the beginning of term of what you would want to be buried in and with, I’m sure most items would be seen as preposterous and so unconventional it would not matter anyway. We spend all this time creating ourselves, but in the end mostly everyone is buried or cremated in a traditional way. In class for example, we only study the anomalies. At first we look at the burial site as a whole, then we focus on the ones which broke the pattern and took us by surprise. Do we not all deserve to be the “interesting one”?

Although this ramble is rather somber, I really do think people should discuss what they want to happen to them after their death, in advance. When the only thing left of me are people’s memories, I want them to actually be of me-not an image other’s have painted for them-no matter what. I suppose that in a way, tradition alleviates pain and planning for people, and for a majority it is what they desire. But to truly commemorate someone, one must never forget all the crazy little things that made them a “me”.

St. Stephen's

            Nestled in the hill next to Mount Newton Valley on the Saanich Peninsula, lies the oldest church in British Columbia. In 1862, William Thomson deeded five acres of land to George Hills, in order to build the church and school, and has since been a place of refuge and calm for those that visit and worship there. Everyone in my family has been married there, and many of my relatives have also been christened there. The owners of the property are attempting to sell the piece of property the church sits on, which includes a cemetery. This has caused an uproar in our relatively peaceful community and measures have been taken to protect the church and those buried in the gardens, and although the majority of my family are not very religious (some are not) this place is a landmark, haven and heritage site for us and others. The St.Stephen’s Trust Society was created to preserve the property (link at the bottom).

            The ethical issues of turning the church into a place of business are significant.  Restricted visiting times would likely be in effect, and most people buried in the graveyard still have living relatives who visit often. Though the cemetery should be protected by law, the church was also protected under the heritage act and the fate of that is still undecided. Currently the church is operating in conjunction with St.Mary’s in Saanichton and they have a year to see how that operates before they are reviewed again.

            The first funeral to take place at St. Stephen’s was in 1869 and numbers buried there increased to over 500 in the 1990’s. The majority of burials at the site are traditionally Christian and marked by simple headstones. Family plots are common, as well as graves mostly facing the East. 

To lose this place of peace is not something I like to think about. Although I seldom visit the church, each time I have it has been an incredibly fond and loving memory, and I do not even worship here. The last visit I made was for a group outing in high school, and I ended up skipping the rest of the day just to sit on the bench beneath the trees alone. 

In this specific case, I do not believe it is ethical to close this church. Respect must be shown for those buried in the cemetery and those who frequent it. 

Both of these photos came from the site: http://www.ststephenstrust.net/ and more information can be found here regarding the church, as well as http://www.ststephensanglican.net/

Which Coffin Do You Like the Best?

I recently began hunting for some out of the ordinary coffins, and found some absolute gems. Most of these were discovered on the site www.oddee.com, which has some other pretty interesting articles.

One of my favourites was the capsula mundi:

Your body rests in a fetal position, while the coffin is planted in the ground like a bulb. The materials are all biodegradable and when you put a bunch of them together, you get a beautiful grove of citrus plants! These are becoming quite popular in Europe and I certainly wouldn't mind being buried in one.
  This chicken coffin was arguably the most unique I came across:

There was no description for who this was created for, however it was identified as being made somewhere in Ghana, and I dearly hope they knew about it beforehand...

I did start to notice that most of these bizarre coffins coming up were made in Ghana, and apparently their coffin builders are famous for it! Specifically, these elaborate "fantasy coffins" which are found in the Ga tribe in Ghana. They view death as a time for celebration, which is reflected in their craftsmanship. Other coffins included cameras, airplanes, coca-cola bottles and hammers.

This is also a favourite. Unfortunately couldn't find a description for this one either.

Yes, this is a corkscrew.

I then stumbled across a company based in Australia who create "designer" coffins (www.lifeart.com.au). The description makes it sound as though they were designed by famous fashion designers, but they're essentially just personalized. You can choose the picture to adorn your coffin, include a saying or phrase, there's a DIY version which everyone can decorate with markers and paint (this doesn't sound incredibly appropriate for craft-time with the little ones, but it would be heartfelt). On their website you can also design your personal bucket list, which hopefully you focus on more than the design of your coffin...

To brighten up your resting place

All of the coffins I came across were a bit flashy for my taste, and would still like to be cremated, however it would be rather amusing to have a giant chicken coffin-just to wonder what future archaeologists would assume from it. 

You Probably Don't Want To Take Your Kids Here

I consider myself an average collector. Pieces from travelling, keepsakes and momentos to remember various occasions and people. Some people however, go the extra mile to collect their favourite items…Such as Mr.Jamieson…A 41 year old business contractor who admits to having an obsession for collecting shrunken heads, and claims: "Finding the perfect shrunken head is better than sex could ever be". To each his own. 

Ten shrunken heads of South American Indians are mounted in a glass cabinet in his Toronto apartment (left). His obsession for those began while he was travelling in ecuador, in search of a plant believed to cause spiritual ecstasy (regard this fact in any way you please). Shrunken heads you might say are just eclectic and interesting, and they are in fact some of the more tame things Mr.Jamieson has bedecking his apartment.  He also has a two-headed calf, five-legged cow, weapons from the Dayak Tribe in Borneo (which are all laced with human hair) and cooking utensils made from human leg bones. Mr.Jamieson describes himself as an ethnologist and amateur anthropologist and archaeologist. As a former construction worker, he has managed to make a career as a high-end trader with his love for travelling and artifacts. My image of Mr.Jamieson is a cross between Indiana Jones and Tim Burton:

While somewhat alarmed of this man’s collection, he is clearly passionate about his work and seems to live an incredibly fulfilled life. I will be on the lookout for more collections similar to this.

Gender

A distinct difference in burials seems to always be noticeable in regards to gender, and if grave goods and possessions are not indicative enough, we have the skeletal analysis to determine the sex. I was hoping to find a case study where this is not the case, and found an example here in B.C. 

home sweet home

Meghan Burchell did a comprehensive analysis of 1130 burials on the coast of British Columbia and found no differences between the male and female grave goods. Burchell admits in her introduction that while there were a lack of grave goods and the shell midden burials were not preserved well, gender distinction was “difficult but not impossible” (p.251) and she also challenges prior notions of status in Northwest Coast burials. She argues that the status of an individual within a burial site should not be concluded simply from grave goods, or lack thereof. Burchell did discover that although the amount of grave goods did not differ between males and females, the variation of grave goods was higher for the female burials.

shell midden

Although some of the absolute words used in Burchell's analysis made me a bit wary, I really liked the way this study was done and reported. She challenged existing notions about the area in regards to gender and managed to prove her point effectively. There were also several critiques included with opposing viewpoints, and although feminists were mentioned, it was clear in her paper she remained neutral and objective.

I am only in my first year at UVic, and studies like this, are what make me want to do more in anthropology. Not only was this a somewhat recent study, but it was done in this province and challenged long-standing traditions. 

Reference

Burchell, M. (2006). Gender, Grave Goods and Status in British Columbia Burials. Canadian Journal of Archaeology, Vol.30(2), p.251-266. Retrieved March 8, 2011 from EBSCOhost

Be Good

The first definition of death to appear in a Google search comes from Wikipedia (of course), and states in the coldest and most dispassionate terms that:

 "Death is the termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism."

Is this what you would tell a child if they asked you what death is? I suppose in this way it is a much easier concept to grasp than others and is the scientific answer, but I would like to think the majority of us believe it is more than that.

I have been fascinated by (and will admit, somewhat afraid of) religion and the effect it can have on people. The very scope of religion and people who follow them clearly have an impact on most of the people in this world, and I wanted to look at the beliefs and the way death is conceptualized in various religions, as they usually have incredibly eloquent ways of describing it.

Christianity is based on the concept of having a specific "time to die" and although the acceptance of Jesus Christ supposedly grants you eternal life, "faithful" Christians await the second coming of Christ to really be immortal. While this is going on, Christians believe you will enter Heaven if you have lived without sin. Heaven seems to be a rather broad idea and it is said that no real definition exists because our minds are not able to imagine such beauty, but pieces of definition include: a sea of glass, river of crystal, and a city that is pure gold and clear as glass. Something along the lines of this:

http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/07/speaking-of-heaven-revelation-21-and-22.html

http://www.lightandmagic.co.uk/heaven-life/gates-to-heaven.html

Christians used to practice inhumation almost exclusively, but the idea of cremation is gaining popularity. 

Judaism uses death to stress the importance of living a meaningful life as it will eventually come to an end, and when it does everything in that life will be justified. Life is though to be so sacred, that violating the commandments will be forgiven if it was done to save a life. As for the treatment of the body, a person is never left alone from the time that they die and when they're buried. An organization is present in most communities called the chevra kaddisha who care for the dead, and they are all volunteers as their services are priceless. The body is wrapped in a plain, linen shroud and buried in the earth. Cremation is not allowed and if the body is in a coffin, holes must be drilled so that they may come in contact with the earth, and the body must never be exposed during the burial. There is also an extensive period of mourning including: aninut (1 or 2 days), shiva (7 days), shloshim (30 days) and avelut (12 months, but is only for a parent). 

http://www.pjvoice.com/v28/28006iraq.aspx

Buddhism followers also believe that death is incredibly important and rather than the idea of your soul continuing to live on, they believe death is an awakening. The person is said to go into a four day trance after death, called First Bardo, in which the person does not know they're dead; which is why monks, family and friends will repeat mantras to a person who is dying; so they are in a peaceful state of mind before death. A common mantra is:

"Even the gorgeous royal chariots wear out; and indeed this body too wears out. But the teaching of goodness does not age; and so Goodness makes that known to the good ones."

Monks continue to chant and follow the body along with the family to the funeral, where the body is cremated. Food and candles are given to the monks as a sign of goodwill. Second Bardo begins after a person has accepted the "Clear Light", and they see everything that has happened to them and everything they have ever thought. Third Bardo is the state one is in, when seeking a new birth.

http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1850/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1850-18088.jpg

Looking at these different practices and beliefs was quite inspiring and if I had to choose, I would prefer a Buddhist burial. Their views are incredibly peaceful and uplifting, and I like the simple fact that goodness is what endures and must be ensured for others.

These are the main sources I used, and have more information:

http://www.findyourfate.com/deathmeter/religion-death.htm

http://www.buddhanet.net/d_cermon.htm

http://www.jewfaq.org/death.htm