Them bones, them bones

From Ha'aretz, an article on the display of the dead in catacombs of Rome and Palermo:

"Burial art" revolving around the display of skulls or bones is not unusual in the Christian world. Here and there, it can be found in the crypts of churches - a reminder of death lurking around the corner, but at the same time, offering hope for the dead, based on the belief that those who have died will be resurrected after the Second Coming.

Another idea conveyed is that all men are equal in death. The brother of Pope Urban XIII, Antonio Barberini, is buried in the church over the Capuchin catacombs in Rome. Barberini was a cardinal, a key position in the religious hierarchy. Yet beside his tomb is the Latin inscription: "Here lies dust and ashes - nothing more."

What is missing, however, in any discussion of historical context. Though the display of relics goes back a long way, my impression is that the mass exposure of ordinary bones is a post-medieval (or possibly late medieval) development, paralleling the popularity of memento mori imagery in contemporary artwork.

PS The article calls display of the ordinary dead a Christian practice, but the only examples I can think of are Roman Catholic.

Posted by David on January 16, 2003 7:02 PM