THANATOLOGY MIDDLE AGES AND COLONIAL

The middle ages and renaissance

This ancient civilization had the greatest influence in developing anatomy and re discovering embalming

Middle ages death beliefs

Same as Christianity

- believed in heaven and hell

- death accepting

- no shadowy existence

Purgatorial Doctrine

Catholic belief; souls that are not perfectly cleansed must undergo a process of cleansing before they can enter heaven; the living tried to help through offerings, prayer, sacraments, etc.

The Reformation

A religious movement of the 16th century that began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the creation of Protestant churches.

Soul Shot

mortuary fee that was paid to insure entrance into heaven

Leagues of prayer

formed in Middle Ages by laypersons to bury the dead and to pray for the souls of the faithful departed.

Burial club

Organization intended to assist the working class members and defray the heavy expenses of the funeral ; also called a funeral guild

The Middle Ages Preparation

Direct Burial

Modeled after Hebrews and Jesus

Embalming becomes a lost art; embalming and dissection viewed as mutilation

Anatomy

Medical research of the human body

Anthony Mondino de Luzzi

First professor of anatomy

Grave robbing

ghouls/resurrection men that would remove corpses from their graves in order for medical research

Willam Burke and William Hare

owned a boarding house in Scotland; killed 16 total people and sold the bodies to Dr. Robert Knox

Independent Bone Burial

a social development in the middle ages whereby the bodies of the noble were separated and the bones were brought back to their home in a chest describes

Independent Heart Burial

Sometimes a saint or clergy member would have the honor of having their heart buried separate from their body under the church

Effigy

a life-sized, waxen creation of the deceased; upper class practice

Medical Embalmers and English Undertakers

This civilization had the greatest influence in the redevelopment of embalming and the role of the modern funeral director

family, medical professionals, undertakers

these people performed the preparations of the body in english times

Discovery of the circulatory system

developed by Leonardo di vinci; first to develop a system for venous injection of fluid

Barber surgeon

the sole trade permitted to embalm and perform anatomical dissections in the city of London

Bloodletting

medical practice of draining a quantity of blood to cure illness or disease

Funeral undertaker

provided services of organizing and facilitating funeral details as an occupation

Furnishing Undertaker

provided supplies and merchandise (i.e. door badges, carriages, etc.) to funeral undertakers who were dealing directly with the public. Furnishing undertakers filled the role of middle man.

Late Middle Age Embalming

Disembowelment

- Arterial and cavity embalming via metallic compounds

- Documentation takes place

- Drains extremities and inject powders and spices

Crier

Person who walked the street calling out the name of the deceased and asking people to pray for the soul of the departed; english custom

Middle Ages Ceremony

Mass of Christian Burial

- carried to church

- anointing

- celebrate mass

- carry to grave

- light as a symbol

- display of wealth

- drapery and velvets

- heir of estate celebration

Catafalque

raised platform used for a body to lie in state

Sin-eater

Drink a bowl of beer and eat a loaf of bread over the corpse to deter spirit linger

The Middle ages Preparation

- coffins used if wealthy

- shrouded if commoner

- lids of coffins formed pavement of churches

- churches required casketed remains

Sexton

church caretaker who had responsibility for church property, ringing of bells and digging of graves in the churchyard cemetery. During the Middle Ages most funeral practices were under the direction of church officials.

Burial in Woolen Act of 1666

required that woolen cloth be substituted for linen in the shroud and lining of the coffin; was an attempt to shift the use of imported linen to the expanding paper industry of England and provide customers for the wool industry. Heavy fines were assessed for violation; not repealed until 1814.

Chadwicks report

a report published on unsanitary conditions in London created by intramural burials and the high cost of funerals, recommended use of a death certificate

Jamestown Colony

First successful English colony in the New World

Early American Funerals Death Beliefs

Same as christianity

- no embalming

- traveled to america for religious freedom

- preparation done by family or someone in a related field

Inviter to Funerals

called personally upon those expected to attend funerals

Coroner

appointed; town health official

Early American Funerals Ceremonies

-simple and dignified

- solemn and silence

- expansion of towns led to lavish funerals

Give Away items

english custom; included gloves, rings, scarves, books and verses, etc

Monkey spoons

mourning gifts that were given at funerals; meant to tell a story about the deceased; drink from drink

Aanspreeker

licensed official to give ceremony

Under-bearers

carry casket

pall bearers

hold pall

Middle Ages Preparation

-church law oversaw burial practices

- american sextons inherited expanded duties

Coffin

Utilitarian container designed to hold human remains, often anthropoidal in shape.