Funeral Rites Research Articles

Grave and cemetery as a manifestation of social behaviours. A few thoughts on the example of early medieval burials from the Chełmno-Dobrzyń zone

Starting point for the study of social behavior based on funeral rituals material traces is an assumption both cemeteries and burials (which are part of them) are, in a certain part, a reflection of social relations. Results of the necropolis sources analysis in their spatial context can provide plenty of information necessary to describe a social structure, determine a hierarchy and system of power, determine the financial status of deceased and reconstruct existing relationships between individuals and groups, and in general, development and a complexity of social organization studies. The article presents a few chosen issues regarding social activities manifested in graves and entire necropolises appearance (based on graves from cemeteries in Chełmno-Dobrzyń zone - Kałdus, Gruczno, Pień and Napole among others). Examples discussed in the article are an expression of socially regulated and consciously undertaken activities, expressing a certain consensus which guaranteed the stable development of local communities. Funeral practices, which were subordinated to constantly changing social rules on the one hand and accepted various dissimilarities on the other (including sepulchral customs originating from ethnically, religiously and culturally alien environments), were important part of it. Unusual burials characterized by a different deceased arrangement in graves, an equipment, and a non-standard grave constructions are traces of these practices. Social relations, including family and intergenerational ties, expressed in double and multiple burials among others, can be found in a cemetery. Necropolises could be considered, in this way, as a mirror reflection of a "spatialized" social order. The order transferred into the eschatological dimension.

Umu-Ada (Ama’oma-Ada) women institution in Igala and Igbo Nsukka communities: a comparative socio-cultural analysis

ABSTRACT While many studies have been devoted to interrogating the political history of the centralized Igala society and the enormous influence of the Atta and Achadu institutions on the Igbo polity and economy, little scholarly attention has been paid to analyzing, in reverse order, the influence of Igbo culture on the Igala society. Despite the precarious placement of women in traditional Igala-Igbo Nsukka borderland, the Umu-ada (women) institution represents one of the means through which women organize and assert power while promoting collective peace, security, development and socio-cultural transformation. We argue that the diffusion and adaptation of Umuada heritage in this region is traceable to geography, the influence of inter-ethnic marriage, trade, burial and funeral rites. The similarities and differences in organization and impact of this women institution in both Igbo Nsukka and Igala communities are appraised to show the preponderance of cultural dispersals in contemporary Nigeria. This paper relied on the use of both primary and secondary data. Primary data was obtained through oral interviews with aged Umuada (women) members of Igbo Nsukka-Igala communities including men. Oral data were intermeshed with secondary literature, especially published books and journal articles. The collected data were qualitatively analyzed using the cultural diffusion theory.

Traditional Funeral Rites in Rural Areas from a Sociological Perspective—Take the Rural Area of Bazhong in Sichuan Province as an Example

Traditional Funeral Rites in Rural Areas from a Sociological Perspective—Take the Rural Area of Bazhong in Sichuan Province as an Example

Новые погребальные комплексы сарматского времени из кургана на Кавказских Минеральных Водах

In 2010, the expedition of the Nasledie State Unitary Enterprise (Stavropol) conducted archaeological excavations on the territory of the Caucasian Mineral Waters and excavated the kurgan 1 of the Voniuchka-1 kurgan cemetery near the city of Pyatigorsk. The kurgan originated in the Eneolithic era; its construction and use as a cemetery continued up to the Early and Middle Bronze Ages. The most extensive changes in the kurgan are associated with the North Caucasian archaeological culture. The Sarmatian burials of the early Iron Age became the final ones in the kurgan; this study is devoted to their material publication and analysis. Single burials and grave goods (probably the remains of a funeral feast) were compactly located in the central part of the kurgan. The burial rite and the inventory are described in detail and examined in the system of both chronologically close Sarmatian newcomers and Pre-Caucasus aboriginal monuments. In general, the funeral rite of the published burials is quite uniform and corresponds to the canons of the pre-Caucasian Sarmatian kurgans. The burials and the cluster are chronologically close to each other, and the inventory found in them has numerous analogies among the synchronous sites of the Pre-Caucasus. At the same time, some details of the funeral rite, in particular the discovery of three left front legs of sheep in two burials, together with a number of other facts, indicate a kinship relationship between the buried. The Sarmatian burials in kurgan 1 of the Voniuchka-1 cemetery can be considered a small ancestral cemetery created, most likely, during the lifetime of one generation. The general dating of the burials and the accompanying funeral feast fits into the framework of the 3rd (possibly 2nd) – 1st centuries BC. There is a high probability of their connection with the Sirak tribal union, and this cemetery is located on the southern border of the territory occupied by it.

Christian Elements and Their Folk Adaptations in the Funeral and Memorial Rites of the Ludian Karelians

Abstract The article* focuses on an analysis of the funeral and memorial rituals of the Ludian Karelians in the context of folk religion. For many years, rites of Orthodox origin were either viewed unilaterally or ignored altogether in ethnographic literature, with the reconstruction of ‘pagan’ elements being highlighted, which in turn gave rise to the theory of dual faith. According to the results of my research, the funeral and memorial traditions of the Ludians (from the late 19th to the late 20th century) are based on an Orthodox funeral system in which many aspects derived from a Christian basis found new interpretation. For example, the requirement to light candles was explained as lighting the way to the afterlife, the importance of making confession was so that the dying person’s sins would not attach to the living, and funeral services were to help the soul of the deceased ‘settle’, etc. The principal exponents of the funeral rituals, who ensured the successful transition of the soul to the next world, were representatives of the people: women who washed the body of the deceased, and lamenters, but the church priesthood nonetheless played a significant role in conducting the rituals. The priest’s participation is apparent at all stages of the funeral ritual, from confession to commemoration. Following the abolition of the institution of the church during the Soviet period, the functions of the priest were assumed by elderly women who knew the prayers and church burial traditions.

New Technologies in Pentecostal Funeral Rituals During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil

ABSTRACT: During the coronavirus pandemic in Brazil, death rites were abbreviated. Hospital visits to the sick, collective farewell ceremonies, and coexistence with corpses were made impossible. In this article, by analyzing a Pentecostal funeral live stream that occurred in May 2020, I try to discuss the possibilities of ritual change in a context of exception. I conclude that the mediatization of funeral rites does not depend solely on the existence and access of the mourners to new technologies. The elements at play in these funerals occur in dialogue with symbolic contents—hierarchical, cosmological, doctrinal—and intersect with the properties of the new technologies, producing affectations in the form and content of the rites.

Фольклор челябинских башкир: История и перспективы изучения

The article is devoted to folklore and traditional customs of the Chelyabinsk Bashkirs. The purpose of the study is to show the degree of knowledge of Bashkir folklore in this area. Archival data, expedition materials, publications of folklorists devoted to folk art and culture of the population of this region are used as sources, unique features of various folklore genres are highlighted. Many of the texts recorded by folklorists in this region have already been published in the volumes “Bashkir Folk Art”, at the same time there are many unpublished ones. The folklore of the Bashkirs of the Chelyabinsk region today is represented mainly by the following genres: rituals, religious and mystical legends, songs, lament songs, munajats, spiritual poems, proverbs, sayings, beliefs, omens, prohibitions, ditties. Calendar holidays such as Rook porridge, goose help, as well as sabantui, held in honor of the end of sowing, have been preserved in the villages. Of the religious rites, the most stable are Ayat ukutyu (reading the ayats of the Quran), Nikah ukutyu (reading nikah), Korban bayram (Feast of Sacrifice), and the performance of funeral rites in accordance with the canons of Islam. One of the peculiar rituals of the local Bashkirs is the holiday “Aumala bayramy” (Aumal Holiday). Of the family rituals, the wedding ceremony is most different, which has many features. For example, holding a kuresh fight during a wedding is associated with the ancient custom of choosing a groom. As it is known from Bashkir epics and fairy tales, in ancient times, a girl chose the husband of the one who won the kuresh fight. As evidenced by the materials of recent expeditions, informants well remember toponymic legends, anecdotes-kulyamas, riddles, proverbs, sayings, beliefs, omens and prohibitions. However, genres such as fairy tales, historical legends and legends, baits, and games have become less common. The author concludes that the folklore of three districts has been studied more systematically: Argayashsky, Kunashaksky and Sosnovsky, therefore there is a need to organize scientific expeditions to collect folklore and ethnographic material to the rest of the region, where Bashkirs live compactly.

Scythian barrow near Bychok village on the left bank of the Lower Dniester

The article for the first time publishes and analyzes the materials obtained during the study of Scythian mound 6 near Bychok village on the left bank of the Lower Dniester. Description of the of the barrow and the graves: Four Scythian graves were studied under the mound. The barrow was built above the main burial in the catacomb. Its entrance pit was filled with stone, then covered with wood, and after a stone core was built in the center of the mound. Despite this, the burial was robbed; two amphoraу of Ikos, a black-glazed vessel, gold plaques, a silver finial and horse harness items were preserved from the grave goods. The bridle belonged to two horses, which were laid in the dromos. Simultaneously with the main burial two accompanying graves were built in rectangular pits under a wooden covering and a stone core in the center of the barrow. A “guard” was buried in one of them with a quiver set and sacrificial food with an iron knife, in the second burial were buried two bridled horses in a “standing” position. After a short time, the grave of a child in the catacomb was sunk into the mound. The entrance to the funeral chamber was covered with a stone wall; a molded jug and an abrasive tool were placed in the chamber. Barrow dating: Two Greek amphorae and a black-glazed lekanis from the main burial in the catacomb allow us to date the barrow to the second quarter of the 4th century BC. The secondary child burial was sunk into the mound no later than the middle of the 4th century BC. Final remarks: It must be stated that mound 6 near the Bychok village was built for the internment of a person (persons?) with high social status. This is evidenced by the design of the mound (with a stone core and a wooden covering in the center), the labor spends for the construction of the main catacomb, as well as two accompanying graves (“a guard” in a separate pit and two horses in a separate pit) and the burial of two horses in the dromos of the main grave. An iron bridle preserved undisturbed in the paired horse burial allows us to conclude about the evolution of some of its elements among the Scythians during the 4th–2nd centuries BC. The totality of data obtained during the study of the barrow not only adds the picture of the Scythian presence in the North-West Black Sea region, but also allows us to draw attention to some elements of the funerary rite and material culture, which were previously recorded extremely rarely or were not found at all in the region.

Celebrando la muerte.

While not as poetic as the cemetery, and bathed in a grimmer light, the present research addresses the subject of funerary architecture involved in the farewell; the funeral parlour-crematorium. Around 60% of these buildings in Spain are located in industrial parks. Since these are the architectural representatives of the celebration of death, responsible for hosting the funeral rite, we ask ourselves, are they doing their job well? We set out to understand the reasons behind the formalisation of this architecture in this location, and to analyse the recurrent features of its design affecting our relationship with the funerary rite. By relating funerary practices to our attitude towards death, we get a glimpse of the complexity of the issue. The reader is urged to reflect on these buildings, constructed with apparent inertia, on which little or no thought has been invested by architects.

Food Culture in Precolonial Taiwan

Abstract Central to food culture are food practices that encompass any activity in which food is involved. Furthermore, food culture studies analyse the many meanings generated by these practices. This article explores food culture in precolonial Taiwan. It charts the meanings generated by the food practices of the Siraya, a Formosan ethnic group who lived in southwest Taiwan and had intensive contact with Dutch East India Company colonisers and an array of Chinese in the seventeenth century. The article analyses the rich variety of edible animals, plants, and fish, and drinks available in Taiwan before focusing on Siraya food practices and the meanings generated by these practices. These include the use of food for sacrifice, funeral rites, gifting, and exchange. The article also examines taboos around food and their social function. Furthermore, it compares Siraya food culture with that of other Formosan groups and pre-Columbian America.

Tree in the Khakass Traditional Funeral Rites (Late 19<sup>th</sup> – Mid 20<sup>th</sup> Century)

Purpose. The sacralization of the tree and its involvement in ritual practice is one of the significant and widespread phenomena represented in the traditional culture of many peoples, including the Khakass. The life cycle of a person among this people ends with a funeral rite. The Khakass traditional funeral rite reflects the archaic ideas of people about the other world. Burial rituals were basically aimed at changing the semiotic status of a person and marked his transition from earthly life to otherness. Special importance in this process is given to the tree and its image.Results. The purpose of the article is to determine the place and function of the tree and its derivatives in the funeral rites of the Khakass. The chronological framework of the work is limited to the framework of the late 19th – 20th centuries. The choice of such time limits is determined by the state of the source base on the research topic. Ethnographic and folklore materials, both published and introduced into scientific circulation, served as a source base. Among folklore sources, heroic tales (alyptyg nymakhtar) are widely used, excerpts from which are presented for the first time in the author's translation in Russian. Leading in the study is the principle of historicism, when any cultural phenomenon is considered in development and considering a specific situation. The research methodology is based on historical and ethnographic methods: remnants (relic) and semantic analysis.Conclusion. As a result of the research, the author concludes that the tree and its image were given great importance in the Khakass traditional funeral rite. The specified plant had a wide semantic field, which included the idea of it as: an afterlife means of transportation – a boat / raft, a “world tree”, the sacred path of the human soul, the dwelling of the deceased, an apotropaic object, etc. In the traditional culture of the people under consideration, two main types of human burials have been identified: underground and aerial. In both cases, an integral ritual element of the funeral is a tree in its various manifestations and combinations.

Biomolecular evidence reveals mares and long-distance imported horses sacrificed by the last pagans in temperate Europe.

Horse sacrifice and deposition are enigmatic features of funerary rituals identified across prehistoric Europe that persisted in the eastern Baltic. Genetic and isotopic analysis of horses in Balt cemeteries [1st to 13th centuries CE (Common Era)] dismantle prevailing narratives that locally procured stallions were exclusively selected. Strontium isotope analysis provides direct evidence for long-distance (~300 to 1500 kilometers) maritime transport of Fennoscandian horses to the eastern Baltic in the Late Viking Age (11th to 13th centuries CE). Genetic analysis proves that horses of both sexes were sacrificed with 34% identified as mares. Results transform the understanding of selection criteria, disprove sex-based selection, and elevate prestige value as a more crucial factor. These findings also provide evidence that the continued interaction between pagans and their newly Christianized neighbors sustained the performance of funerary horse sacrifice until the medieval transition. We also present a reference 87Sr/86Sr isoscape for the southeastern Baltic, releasing the potential of future mobility studies in the region.

Visual narrative research: African American cemeteries in Alachua County, Florida

AbstractElla Spencer (my mom) was born in 1908 and died in 2002. She once told me that people of color were treated worse than farm animals, especially when they died. “They didn't get funeral rites like White folks,” she said. I contend the problem is that no one is keeping vital records such as photographs, maps, and burial ledgers of where African Americans were buried. After numerous years, several American states, cities, and counties had reported bountiful discoveries of unknown African American remains of all ages during constructions or demolitions. In 2023, more than a few news outlets were continuously reporting the findings of African American remains from beneath buildings, parking lots, overgrown vegetation, and woods. This qualitative research project was based on digital archival data research methodology and theoretical visual anthropology framework adding creativity components (e.g., photography, painting, and photo bashing technique) to effectively collect data of Alachua County, Florida African American cemeteries. This paper aims to add to the academic literature and fill the gap in African American life after death acknowledgment. In conclusion, this is a project that has many branches that need to be researched to get the whole story of African American cemeteries' survival.

Microbotanical analysis in artifacts of the CABUZA phase (900–1200 ce), Azapa Valley, northern Chile: Vessels and rites of “eating and drinking with the dead” in post‐Tiwanaku times

AbstractWe report observations of wear traces and microbotanical analysis of 29 ceramics, one pot of Cucurbita sp., and one wooden spoon—all artifacts of the AZ‐6 and AZ‐71 cemeteries of the Cabuza cultural phase (900–1200 ce), Azapa Valley, northern Chile—. The results show some unused artifacts (11) besides 21 samples that were positive for starches of Zea mays, Cucurbita sp., Manihot esculenta, Ipomoea batatas, or Phaseolus sp., in addition to vegetable remains (13 cases). This evidence is interpreted as an expression of funerary rites in post‐state times, which could be an inheritance of the Andean Tiwanaku State (ca. 500–1000 ce).

A New Example of Early Medieval Multiculturalism: The Tomb of Qu Qing and His Wife in Anyang

The materials of a new burial complex in Anyang (Henan Province, China) combining features of the tombs of Northern Qi and Sui, and of the “Sogdian” tombs of the 6th century AD are presented. From the text of the epitaph placed in the burial chamber it is known that aristocrat Qu Qing and his wife Lady Han were buried there. Qu Qing was the grandson of Qu Jia, the founder of one of the ruling dynasties of the Gaochang Kingdom. His wife came from a noble family, possibly with Wuhuan roots. The set of stone items, including door leaves, an engraved panel above them, an engraved screen, and a burial bed decorated with engravings, reliefs and paintings, serves as a valuable source of information about the heterogeneous culture of Early Medieval China. The images on the door and the panel above it are similar in content and style to the murals of the Northern Qi tombs. The plots of the compositions on both sides of the stone screen came from early collections of xiaoshuo prose, that can be classified as zhiguai xiaoshuo (“tales of the miraculous”). The stone bed is similar in design and partly in decorative motifs to the objects from the “Sogdian” burials of the Northern dynasties and Sui. The tomb demonstrates an example of adaptation and transformation of borrowed elements of funeral rites under the influence of Han culture. The combination of Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist and Zoroastrian images and motifs reflects the situation of religious syncretism typical of the early Middle Ages.

Chiang Mai's Royal Crematorium: Siamese Influence Evident in Lanna Cremation Heritage

The Chao Luang crematorium was a temporary architecture made for the cremation and funeral of Chao Luang Chiang Mai (King of Chiang Mai). The creation of the Chao Luang crematorium reflected the social and political pressures of Siam that influenced Lanna territories during the reign of Phra Chao Inthawichayanon in 1873 till 1932 (coup d’etat), resulting in a change in the architectural style of these funeral structures. This research aims to study the architectural style changes of Chao Luang crematorium in Chiang Mai from the moment when Siam began to draw power from Lanna to the central part of the territory. The study results reveal that, originally, the funeral rites of Chao Luang followed a specific form of Lanna rituals. However, during the reign of Phra Chao Inthawichayanon, the 7th Chao Luang of Chiang Mai, new power from Siam was imposed on Lanna, which resulted in changes to the Lanna architecture and cremation traditions, aligning them more closely with Siamese traditions. Eventually, the traditional Lanna rituals were amalgamated into the style of Siam. The evolving architectural style of the Chiang Mai Royal Crematorium provides evidence of Siamese colonization’s ongoing impact on Lanna.

Impact of COVID-19 on celebration of death, mortuary, and funerary customs in Bangladesh: A qualitative study

IntroductionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions significantly impacted religious activities related to death celebrations, mortuary practices, and funerary rituals in Bangladesh. Bereaved families faced a harsh reality, unable to perform the full rituals for their loved ones due to the pandemic outbreak. This study explores the adjustments and modifications made in cultural rituals and how they affected bereaved families and close relatives. ObjectiveThis study aims to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the observance of death rituals in Bangladesh and the effects on bereaved families and close relatives. MethodsThis study employed a qualitative approach and gathered data through 3 key informant interviews (KIIs) and 58 in-depth interviews (IDIs) conducted between December 2020 and January 2021. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit participants from three distinct groups: (1) individuals who had experienced the death of a relative during the pandemic, (2) caregivers who provided support to those experiencing loss, and (3) volunteers actively involved with funeral and burial services. This selection strategy ensured a diverse range of perspectives on the impact of the pandemic on death rituals. ResultsThe pandemic forced people to observe funerals or make significant sacrifices to traditional practices reluctantly. Disruptions to long-standing traditions and widespread emotional toll were as various segments of society struggled to find closure in saying goodbye to loved ones. Due to the severity of the pandemic, people became heavily reliant on priests, crematorium workers, and funeral volunteers for mortuary services. Both Hindu and Muslim religions discouraged family gatherings during post-burial rituals. The fear of contracting the virus further limited bereaved families’ ability to bid farewell to their deceased loved ones properly. ConclusionThis research highlights the profound impact of the pandemic on death rituals and the resulting emotional distress for bereaved families in Bangladesh. The findings are pivotal in guiding the development of concrete policies for future pandemic preparedness and response. Such policies might encompass guidelines for safe and culturally sensitive mortuary practices, psychosocial support and grief counseling initiatives for affected communities, and strategies to mitigate religious anxieties during public health emergencies.

Beyond Death: Funeral Rituals and Megalithic Traditions Among the Bhil Tribes of India.

The earliest traces of funeral rituals in the Indian Subcontinent date back to the Mesolithic period. Data from various parts of the country clearly indicate that this tradition gained popularity during the Neolithic and Iron Age periods in India. Besides, during the Iron-age period we found evidence of megalithic tradition, and the megalithic sites found in the Indian subcontinent reveal an elaborate process of death rituals. This present study focuses on first-hand data obtained from the south-eastern part of Rajasthan, India. The data unveils many hidden aspects of funeral rituals and megalithic traditions related to the Bhils community. To gain a better understanding of death rituals, beliefs about afterlife, and the erection of memorial pillars on behalf of the deceased, the author compares the death rituals of the Bhils with those of the Munda communities in central eastern parts of India.

“The person was like the glue in the cracked pot which was no longer there”: co-production of the web-based Families and Friends in Bereavement intervention

Background Families, friends and support networks are key to managing bereavement. COVID-19 social restrictions prevented families and friends from being with the dying and participating in usual rituals to honour the dead. This resulted in social disconnection, feelings of guilt, and difficulty in making sense of the death and reconstructing relationships. In response to this context a theoretically informed, co-produced web-resource to facilitate meaning-making, which situates bereavement in the context of family and friends, was developed. This paper describes the development of the web-based intervention. Study aims To co-produce a web-based intervention theoretically informed by the family level extension Dual Process Model and Family Sense of Coherence, and pilot the intervention gaining user feedback to inform refinements in readiness for adoption and implementation. Methods Following a scoping review, a mixed methods study was undertaken using an online survey via questionnaire and virtual co-production workshop with bereaved people and bereavement professionals. Results Survey respondents (n=32) reported the pandemic negatively affected bereavement (guilt, isolation, inability to bear witness) but also presented new opportunities to celebrate the deceased and support the bereaved (new funeral rituals, technology, remote contact, social acknowledgement of grief). Sense-making and managing bereavement were helped through information-giving, support networks, and relocating the person within the family context. A web-resource to facilitate collective grief was viewed positively and endorsed. Key content including family activities to stimulate support, information regarding the range of grief experience and dealing with the practicalities, along with other sources of support was agreed by workshop participants (n=5) to form the basis of the intervention. Conclusion The publicly accessible Families and Friends in Bereavement intervention encourages consideration of bereavement in the context of close social networks. It enables grief to be understood and managed within a shared experience by promoting communication and meaning-making.

A flexible choice of comrades: the dynamic identity of the Muslim Huis of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries

Abstract This paper investigates how Hui scholars imagined the membership of their community during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as sharing communal religious duties, such as Islamic education and funeral rites, which were correctively imposed by an Islamic doctrine on all Muslims. The analysis is mainly based on two texts. One is an inscriptive text drafted in Arabic and Persian by Ma Minglong in A.H. 1079 (1668–1669) and inscribed by his son in 1673 in Wuchang, Hubei province. The other is Tianfang dianli (Commentary on Rites of Islam), written in Chinese by Liu Zhi (d. after 1724) based on Arabic and Persian Islamic books. The analysis shows that these Hui scholars have flexibly demarcated their communities from those whom they regarded as “other” Muslims, depending on various situations. Additionally, this paper illuminates how Hui scholars’ various and flexible delineations of “us” facilitated their negotiations for advantageous positions toward Muslim rivals, as well as non-Muslims who suspected their orthodoxy. This relativizes the argument that Hui scholars understood themselves as being simultaneously Chinese and Muslim when they situated themselves vis-à-vis Chinese literati—an argument that has been often repeated in the study of Hui Muslims.