Boil, Boil, Ritual, and Toil

So the first time I ever heard about the flesh of the dead being consumed, was when I read Anne Rice’s “Queen of the Damned”, this was the part where the twin women eat the flesh of their deceased relatives so that they will gain their power and free the soul (the book is way better then the movie, by the way).  I later found out this portrayal of the practice of anthropophagy, was not exactly kosher, though entertaining, the book's explanation it was not very accurate. 

So when one of the readings for the past week was about human flesh and what people do with it when humans die, this topic resurfaced in my mind.  The article I am referring to is “Death and Ambivalent Materiality-Human Flesh as Culture and Cosmology” by Terje Ostigaard.  I found this article to be extremely interesting and the whole idea of consuming the dead, the human flesh holding the soul, and every which way the soul can escape the body to be absolutely mind-boggling.

Then I was thinking about the possible cannibalism that we talked about in the Pueblo people on Friday, and I also wondered, would archaeologists be able to figure out if the cannibalism was for a purpose other then funerary ritual, is there actually a way to differentiate?  And not to sound callous but also why would we be so adverse to consuming dead humans, as we do consume the dead much of the time, for those who partake in anything meat, seafood, or poultry related, how did the change to the majority of cultures go to not consuming the members of the group after they pass.

           

And so…. I found a couple answers:

To the first question the article “Consuming Passions: Reviewing evidence of Cannibalism within the Prehistoric Archaeological Record” by James Cole(link at end of blog entry) describes that yes through analysis of the archaeological context of the amount of hominid to faunal remains in the area and the cut marks and ways in which the remains have been treated can also give a clue to whether or not cannibalism is present.

So to the second question there is evidence of diseases that were passed one through the consumption of the flesh, and it began to be widely discouraged.

Also changes and importance of preserved flesh in new religions and traditions were in play.

My personal opinion to why we have become adverse to eating human flesh of the dead would be because of our love/hate relationship with being near the dead, and in the case of North American mainstream, individualism.  The love/hate relationship I speak of, would want to hold onto and know where our deceased are after they have passed and we have disposed of them.  However the hate part of this relationship is not hate, but distance, we don’t want to be so close that we are touching the dead in anyway or that they are physically connected to the living in most cases. 

The other idea I mused was that in North American mainstream, we are very concerned with the idea of the individual.  Some of the traditions that come with funerary rite cannibalism, also quoted as  “spiritual cannibalism”, propose the idea that the consumption, especially by relatives of relatives, is to connect the living to the dead and to absorb their power and strength.  This threatens the idea of Individualism, because if someone is absorbed or strongly connected to another they are no longer an entity of themselves.

So that’s my quick two cents on this very large topic, I would like to hear from anyone else wanting to contribute!

link: http://www.assemblage.group.shef.ac.uk/issue9/cole.html

Human Bones

link for the picture: http://oldtiden.natmus.dk/udstillingen/bondestenalderen/stenalderens_storstensgrave/hvordan_foregik_begravelserne/language/uk/

An impromptu letter

Prompt 1. Imagine that you get to choose your own grave goods. What items would be placed in your grave and why? What do these items say about who you are?

Dear reader,

If you are reading this then I have surely passed, or I am just having a nap and I pressed enter on the keyboard by accident, if it is a nap please do not bury me just yet.

I would request these 18 items to be placed in my grave with me:

1.     As many books as you can fit-I love to read and would like reading material for the afterlife.

2.     A vibrator-would signify my interest in sex, and a healthy sexual appetite, also as a contemporary symbol for female self-pleasure.

3.     Both a Magen David (Star of David) in gold and a pentagram in silver-to signify both of my religious beliefs, in reform Judaism, and Wiccan religion.

4.     My Talit (Jewish prayer shawl) (to be wrapped in)-this is a very important piece of clothing to me, as I wore it during all of the important markers in my life, and when I went to Israel for the first time, a very meaningful experience for me.

5.     Bottle of Kokonee beer-I like beer, it’s my favorite kind.

6.     Bottle of wine-I like wine and it symbolizes the inspiration I take when I write, as when it is none academic I prefer a glass of wine.

7.     Jewelry-almost all of my jewelry was given to me by people that I hold dear, whether it is diamond, or a glue gem bracelet my cousin gave me, they hold great sentimental value.

8.     High heeled black leather boots-my feet get cold, and they are my favorite type of foot wear

9.     A green dress-I would wish to be wearing this dress, it’s my favorite colour and something I feel comfortable in.

10.  Paint brushes and blank canvas-to symbolize my love of art and allow me to continue art or communication in the afterlife.

11.  Black marble cat-I am a cat person.

12.  Copy of kama sutra-to symbolize knowledge of sexuality.

13.  Small copy of the world-love of travel, I could appreciate it if the world would be put in my right hand, please.

14.  Cultural Anthropology text book-passion for anthropology,  (this piece was suggested by a load of friends)

15.  International cookbook-love of cooking and learning always more recipes.

16.  Carving of a moon on my tomb-I am a person who is very much more productive when the moon is up.

17.  My flute -love of music.

18.   Blank music sheets-love of creating music and the possibility of more.

Using the number 18 itself would have significance in this case due to the faith that I have in Jewish religion.  The number 18 is known as “chai” which translates into “life” in English.   This word “chai” is linked to the idea of the tree of life, and when 18 of something is given, it is considered giving life.  A very powerful number in the Jewish numerology that because of it’s idea of life, I prefer it, as I would rather people associate and remember me for my life, rather then because I have passed.  I would also like to ask for a location of my grave I would wish to be buried near the ocean. 

Thank-you so much, this is very kind of you to take care of my funerary arrangements, just make sure I am dead before you go ahead with them,

Sincerely,

Heather

Hello to all readers of this blog

Hi!  My name is Heather Muir and I am a third year anthropology major at UVic.  I have chosen to take this class for a number of reasons.  I am taking it, as archaeology is a requirement for an anthropology degree, just getting that out of the way.  I am also taking it because I have found from my scratching the surface in other classes and travels, that everything surrounding death is quite amazing.

Death seems to be part of the major aspects that make up our life, isn’t that irony for you.  We do so many things to avoid death, or a certain kind of death, or to prepare for death, and the way in which humans are so protective of our dead in some cases is another thing the has peaked my interest.  I have experienced studying other major aspects, pillars, of life in other anthropology classes, including extensive work in gender, sex, and sexuality, and after reading the Rus piece I am very curious how sex plays roles in funerary rites, as this is the first of my hearing about it.    I am also big into art, travel, folklore and mythology and languages.

Another large interest with taking this class lies deeply in looking at mortuary monuments, art, and grave goods.  When I was in Poland in 2008 for March of the Living, we went through many different cemeteries and the imagery, which later after looking up, I found, was connected with the ancient mythology of the area.  I am very drawn into looking at the seam where rituals, types of inhumation, and other aspects of death connect with the mythology of the different cultures, and how it is expressed.  Ethics is also another topic I am fascinated by as, since my museum work last summer it has come to light much more often, and I personally think ethics are an important aspect to contemporary anthropology.

This class seems like it is going to be so awesome, hope to learn and read some great stuff!