Telling the Bees, 1879 Following a death, the list of duties seem endless. From booking the undertaker to choosing the coffin, plot or crematorium, the list of necessities seems endless. But of all of these commitments, the most important of them, the most integral of all, is telling the bees. It’s a matter of tradition, … Continue reading Telling the Bees!
Tag: Traditions
The Hanging Coffins and Burial Caves of Lumiang
The practise of Hanging Coffins is arguably the most famous funerary ritual of the Kankanaey people of Sagada.
Death Cheese: A Short History
In life, three things are for certain: Birth, Death and Cheese. The greatest of these is cheese.
Hoddesdon Cemetery: Table Tombs and Chapels for Ants
Hoddesdon cemetery is much like any other cemetery close to the capital. Sitting in Hertfordshire in the home counties, Hoddesdon cemetery is flanked by trees, shielding it from the road and the gaze of passing commuters. Hoddesdon is very much a working cemetery, filled with fresh internments and contemporary memorials. While Victorian cemeteries are beautiful … Continue reading Hoddesdon Cemetery: Table Tombs and Chapels for Ants
St Swithin’s Day
The 15thof July, St Swithin’s Day. The day when we celebrate our favourite historical Bishop of Winchester and plan our umbrella usage for the next 40 days.
In Praise of Death Stationery
Memorial cards were often one of the first indicators of grief and one of the last reminders...
The World of Victorian Grave Dolls
After experiencing the death of a loved one, our mourning practises may include collecting mementos...and a full-sized effigy of the deceased.
Invoking the Owlman
England in the 1970s; disco, flares, chilled bottles of blue nun...
And a six-foot owl man.
Cemetery Festivities in Finland
As ‘Burials and Beyond’ is first and foremost, a personal blog, I hope you’ll indulge me as I recount my recent experiences in Finland, remembering the dead at Christmas-time. On Christmas Day 2017, I found myself not at home with my family, but around 1000 miles away in Helsinki, Finland. It is a … Continue reading Cemetery Festivities in Finland
Burials & Beyond 