From the Paleolithic aura to this present day the functions of funerary art have provided the basic outlets for coming to terms with death. Funerary art is posed to bare the function of the disposal of the body; express a culture’s belief in the afterlife; the care or fear of the deceased; a part of the mourning process; the status of the individual and their family; a step to forgetting and that for the most part is for the living. Sculpture plays a predominant role in funerary art and is a common feature amongst all the functions in both western and nonwestern cultures. Funerary art lends to the visceral qualities of sculpture to assist in projecting the functions for those dealing with death.
Disposal of The Body
When a person dies, as many have over thousands of years, a main concern is how to dispose of the body. It would be easy to toss the deceased in a forest and so be it, however, it remains important aspect to cherish the dead and treat their body with respect. Both western and nonwestern cultures method of disposing the body incorporate sculptural aspects; whether it is in cemeteries, tombs, sarcophagi or repurposing body parts to make sculptures.
Cemeteries, necropolis or cities of the dead are common burial sites for larger populations and feature a variety of funerary art in both Western and non-Western cultures. A site-specific location for the deceased with a highly contrived layout and archaic lawn ornaments; cemeteries are an ever-growing organized form of land art. In Western cultures cemeteries are the most common burial sites, brought into practice in the 1800s. The first public cemeteries enforced proper burials for all classes, to be located on the outskirts of urban centers; a step up from the overb...
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...the living to comfort their fears. Afraid of their ancestors bringing bad luck or harm to the living they burn paper replicas of inanimate objects to ward of the angry spirits. Memento mori is also a reminder of being mortal and that we to will meet death.
Cemeteries Landscape cemeteries offer a welcoming environment for the living featured as a park, a place to walk around. Romantic winding paths with trees or ponds to comfort the living as they walk between gravestones, which would otherwise be vacant and morbid like the bodies that occupy it. Monuments within cemeteries or in public spaces are reminders for the living or the past but also a way for the living to separate or detach certain memories of the person or event to create a more consumable memory. These forms of funerary art are positioned to be for the dead but are more beneficial for the living.
The article was an enjoyment to read. It provides an insider's view of what goes on in the mortuary, where not many people can access. It deals with a subject which people do not usually seek information on but are nonetheless intrigued by. The style lessens the formality of the subject, which makes it less scary to deal with. The descriptive language is effectively used. The expression of the author's feeling and thoughts encourages empathy from the reader with the author.
The plaque shown is a light umber in color, with a funeral scene etched out in black and white engravings into the smooth surface. The figures are very geometric in style and simplified. Even so, each figure seems to still have somewhat differentiating features from one another. How they are places in relation to each other creates a sense of rhythm within the piece. Helping guide the viewer, and lends itself to the illusion of the element of time.
Unburied people will be unable to find rest and will wander the earth forever, which is why it was so important that I must bury my brother. For Polyneices to rest properly, there needs to be a burial. The word of the gods emphasize the necessity of a proper burial and indicate the negligence of burial rites as an abuse to a man’s rights to an afterlife. Burials are a critical municipal and religious duty, not simply because it is a valued personal concern, but also because it is a social obligation. While a respectable king is expected to be able to make wise decisions independently, he cannot be considered a perceptive ruler if he does not follow the will of the
“In most human society's death is an extremely important cultural and social phenomenon, sometimes more important than birth” (Ohnuki-Tierney, Angrosino, & Daar et al. 1994). In the United States of America, when a body dies it is cherished, mourned over, and given respect by the ones that knew the person. It is sent to the morgue and from there the family decides how the body should be buried or cremated based on...
As the birds are singing their sweet melody, the terrain of Arlington National Cemetery is filled with sadness. Although the brilliant rays of sun are shinning through the thick colossal treetops, there is a chill in the air. While watching the mourners, the feeling of their sorrows is all too real.
Through the means of commemorating and remembering those of prestige and importance, tombs and sarcophagi are produced of these individuals. This funerary manner and distinctive burial practice was initiated Etruscan culture and it developed through the means of cremation and inhumation in earns. The concept of placing the remains of individuals in elaborate, thought out spaces was a valuable attribute of these people. The Etruscan objective of creating the best possible outcome in the afterlife dictated the way in which individuals ornamented and became portrayed in their tombs. Presen...
When someone dies their bones are burned and crushed into ash and consumed by the relatives. It puts a persons soul at peace to find a resting place within their family, it would be an abomination to bury them in the ground. Once this ceremony is finished the person is gone. Their name or person is never to be mentioned again.
The Asabano traditionally believed that once an individual passes, they are biologically dead but they are not ‘socially’ dead. For this reason, dealing with the remains of the deceased was considered very sacred. It was believed that how the remains were handled would either lead to a positive or negative future relationship with the departed indivi...
Roadside memorials are seen on the side of a street or highway often times after the passing of a loved one in a car accident. While a grave marks where a body is finally laid, the roadside memorial marks the last place where a person was alive. The memorial is usually kept up by family and close friends and is decorated with flowers, messages, and a cross or plaque. However, often times controversial, these families believe that their moral authority to remember a loved one trumps any governmental regulations set in place.
Deaths were a form of social event, when families and loved ones would gather around the bed of the dying, offering emotional support and comfort. Myth, religion, and tradition would combine to give the event deeper meaning and ease the transition for all involved. The one who was dying was confident in knowing what lay behind the veil of death, thanks to religious faith or tradition. His or her community held fast to the sense of community, drawing strength from social ties and beliefs. (“Taboos and Social Stigma - Rituals, Body, Life, History, Time, Person, Human, Traditional Views of Death Give Way to New Perceptions" 1)
For my final project I chose to compare two works of art from ancient Mesopotamia. A visual work of art and a literary one. The visual work of art I chose was the Statuettes of Worshipers which were created around 2900 to 2350 BCE at the Square Temple at Eshnunna, a city in ancient Mesopotamia. The literary artwork I have chosen is the Epic of Gilgamesh written roughly around 2800 BCE by author or authors unknown. It was set in Uruk, another city in ancient Mesopotamia. Both of these works of art share a common theme; the theme of immortality. It is my hopes that within this paper I can accurately show how each of these works of art express this theme, and how it relates to modern society.
The definition of sculpting is, according to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “to make or represent a form by carving, casting, or using other shaping techniques”. Though, one could easily argue that in ancient Greek culture, sculpting meant more than just the craft of carving, casting, or shaping. Sculpting was the expression of imagination, an illustration of passions and storytelling, and a means of communication. The early Greek sculptures that we view today are incredibly important to the study and interpretation of history. This is because we are able to analyze these sculptures and theorize why the Greeks sculpted a certain way during certain eras. The different styles of Greek sculpting can be broken down into three separate periods:
The grandeur with which Egyptians regarded their funerary customs does not come without explanation. They delighted in tying the occurrences of the natural world with supernatural dogma, and their burial practices exemplified this deluge of religion. A special deity was even attributed to cemeteries and embalmers: Anubis (Fiero, 46). Due to this deep sense of religion, a fixation with the afterlife developed within their culture. The Egyptian afterlife, however, is not synonymous of heave, but, rather, of The Field of Reeds, a continuation of one’s life in Egypt meant “to secure and perpetuate in the afterlife the ‘good life’ enjoyed on earth” (Mark 1; “Life in Ancient Egypt” 1). The pursuit of this sacred rest-place prompted the arousal of intricate Egyptian funeral rituals.
Phillip Frenau’s poem, “The Indiana Burying Ground,” juxtaposes the burial techniques of Christian religion with that of the Native American religion. While reading through this poem, the imagery stood out to me. I found myself walking though two ancient burial grounds. One was like the cemeteries I know. I felt a sense of sadness fall over me as I walked around the headstones. The other one was a much different experience. I was able to see into graves. I saw skeletons positioned in a manner unique to themselves. Some had bows drawn, some had their most prized possessions arranged around them, signifying who they were during their life. I found it strange that instead of the normal, mournful feeling I get in the pit of my stomach when thinking about grave yards, I felt a sense of joy and lightheartedness. Through this poem, and themes of death and nature, Frenau attempts to enlighten the reader of the diversity of people and their cultures.
The Jewish funeral and burial is quick, modest, and full of tradition. A simple pine casket is required by Jewish law to relieve the family of the task of choosing a casket style (Greenberg 288). The Cherva Kadisha, who are the sacred burial society, wash the body from head to toe and dress the deceased in a simple white linen shroud (Greenberg 288). If a person was injured,...