This is my first time participating in this event, but it sounded like an excellent way to talk about my greatest passion in life!
I have a bachelors in Anthropology with a focus in Death Culture and Forensics (yes, like the show Bones). I have studied human funerary practices across the globe, the Torres method of Aztec heart removal for human sacrifice, and have worked with human remains. I am more than happy to answer any questions in relation to my field.
If I do not know the answer off the top of my head, I will be more than happy to do a bit of research for the specific question to give as accurate an answer as I can. From curiosity to questions you have for better cultural working in your writing, have at it!
I have a bachelors in Anthropology with a focus in Death Culture and Forensics (yes, like the show Bones). I have studied human funerary practices across the globe, the Torres method of Aztec heart removal for human sacrifice, and have worked with human remains. I am more than happy to answer any questions in relation to my field.
If I do not know the answer off the top of my head, I will be more than happy to do a bit of research for the specific question to give as accurate an answer as I can. From curiosity to questions you have for better cultural working in your writing, have at it!
Well that sounds interesting!
Forensics and culture of death…
So I have a specific question, just in relation with the name you choose, van Helsing.
What is your point of view of the ‘undead’ ?
And I don’t mean your view in some RP, no, the culture of death and ‘not’ dead.
Could there be a scientific background?
Forensics and culture of death…
So I have a specific question, just in relation with the name you choose, van Helsing.
What is your point of view of the ‘undead’ ?
And I don’t mean your view in some RP, no, the culture of death and ‘not’ dead.
Could there be a scientific background?
Fantax wrote:
Well that sounds interesting!
Forensics and culture of death…
So I have a specific question, just in relation with the name you choose, van Helsing.
What is your point of view of the ‘undead’ ?
And I don’t mean your view in some RP, no, the culture of death and ‘not’ dead.
Could there be a scientific background?
Forensics and culture of death…
So I have a specific question, just in relation with the name you choose, van Helsing.
What is your point of view of the ‘undead’ ?
And I don’t mean your view in some RP, no, the culture of death and ‘not’ dead.
Could there be a scientific background?
While I can't point to a scientific background on the topic of undeath, I can give an anthropological viewpoint of the topic.
Death, as a concept, is considered a stage of life in a majority of cultures, and because of this, that means there is most often a reverse to this. A corruption of the stage. If someone is dead, they can be made undead, or violated, from their state of death.
Regardless of where you point on a map, you will find a story relating to someone being brought back from the grave. More often than not, these creatures tend to prey on the living. Now, from how I see it, this is in reference to the way that 'death' preys on the living, and on how the concept of grief lingers and feeds off of those who remain behind. A quite literal 'haunting of the narrative' if you will.
There are of course myths were someone chooses to become undead, but these are usually tales that talk about the risk of hubris and the downfall of violating the 'natural order' of life and death.
Ooooooo, that sounds like a super interesting field to get into!
I'm really curious about what made you choose this field? Have you always been interested in those things or did you fall into it as you got older?
I'm really curious about what made you choose this field? Have you always been interested in those things or did you fall into it as you got older?
Gab wrote:
Ooooooo, that sounds like a super interesting field to get into!
I'm really curious about what made you choose this field? Have you always been interested in those things or did you fall into it as you got older?
I'm really curious about what made you choose this field? Have you always been interested in those things or did you fall into it as you got older?
This has always been a passion of mine, even when I was younger. I was the "weird kid" in school, so it was not entirely surprising when I decided to take up such a morbid field of study. It just felt natural to me, and topics that made my peers queasy or upset did not strike me in the same way. I am not entirely sure why that is, but it certainly made my studying easier!
If I had to pin point where my interest started, I would probably pick back when I was 11 or 12? That was when I first started reading history textbooks about the bodies cast in the ashes of Pompeii and the process of mummification in Egypt. The passion just bloomed from there!
Thanks for the trip down memory lane
Oh wow! Are you actively employed in this sector too?
Kim wrote:
Oh wow! Are you actively employed in this sector too?
Due to illness I had to step away from the career path (hence why an excuse to talk about it has me so excited)
Though I did work as the assistant to my university’s forensic anthropologist while I was earning my degree which was a thoroughly satisfying endeavour!
I HAVE A QUESTION
can we be frens?
can we be frens?
Kahmical wrote:
I HAVE A QUESTION
can we be frens?
can we be frens?
Depends, can I ramble about weird anthropology facts I know?
CvanHelsing wrote:
Kahmical wrote:
I HAVE A QUESTION
can we be frens?
can we be frens?
Depends, can I ramble about weird anthropology facts I know?
ABSOLUTELY
Kahmical wrote:
CvanHelsing wrote:
Kahmical wrote:
I HAVE A QUESTION
can we be frens?
can we be frens?
Depends, can I ramble about weird anthropology facts I know?
ABSOLUTELY
THEN HELL YES
Did you know that at some libraries will accidentally discover that they own books bound with human skin? They had just assumed it was leather (which it technically is) at first.
I'm gonna stick my question and reasoning for it in a collapse since it involves a very common taboo and something that can easily disturb many people.
See more
It's about cannibalism.
I developed a culture that involves cannibalism in its funerary practices. It's not something I set out intending to do, but as they were developed over the years, it ended up just seeming to make sense. In part, it's practical; they're nomads in a very harsh environment, so deaths are too common to expend much of their limited resources on, graves couldn't be kept track of, and having more food is always welcome (provided the body can pass a safety inspection to ensure eating it won't lead to more sickness and death, and from what I understand, the issue of prions seems to primarily come from consumption of brain tissue). On the more emotional and philosophical side, they view this as a way to both literally and metaphorically keep part of their loved ones with them, and they're able to feel more at peace with their mortality for the knowledge that even when they die, they'll likely still be able to provide for their friends and family one last time even in death.
(If a body is found unsuitable for consumption, parts may still be kept as momentos, but the rest of the body gets burned to avoid attracting dangerous predators or scavengers.)
My question is: do you know of any real world cultures that have featured anything similar? And are there still risks I'm completely overlooking that should still prevent such a practice from developing as a norm?
I developed a culture that involves cannibalism in its funerary practices. It's not something I set out intending to do, but as they were developed over the years, it ended up just seeming to make sense. In part, it's practical; they're nomads in a very harsh environment, so deaths are too common to expend much of their limited resources on, graves couldn't be kept track of, and having more food is always welcome (provided the body can pass a safety inspection to ensure eating it won't lead to more sickness and death, and from what I understand, the issue of prions seems to primarily come from consumption of brain tissue). On the more emotional and philosophical side, they view this as a way to both literally and metaphorically keep part of their loved ones with them, and they're able to feel more at peace with their mortality for the knowledge that even when they die, they'll likely still be able to provide for their friends and family one last time even in death.
(If a body is found unsuitable for consumption, parts may still be kept as momentos, but the rest of the body gets burned to avoid attracting dangerous predators or scavengers.)
My question is: do you know of any real world cultures that have featured anything similar? And are there still risks I'm completely overlooking that should still prevent such a practice from developing as a norm?
Zelphyr wrote:
I'm gonna stick my question and reasoning for it in a collapse since it involves a very common taboo and something that can easily disturb many people.
See more
It's about cannibalism.
I developed a culture that involves cannibalism in its funerary practices. It's not something I set out intending to do, but as they were developed over the years, it ended up just seeming to make sense. In part, it's practical; they're nomads in a very harsh environment, so deaths are too common to expend much of their limited resources on, graves couldn't be kept track of, and having more food is always welcome (provided the body can pass a safety inspection to ensure eating it won't lead to more sickness and death, and from what I understand, the issue of prions seems to primarily come from consumption of brain tissue). On the more emotional and philosophical side, they view this as a way to both literally and metaphorically keep part of their loved ones with them, and they're able to feel more at peace with their mortality for the knowledge that even when they die, they'll likely still be able to provide for their friends and family one last time even in death.
(If a body is found unsuitable for consumption, parts may still be kept as momentos, but the rest of the body gets burned to avoid attracting dangerous predators or scavengers.)
My question is: do you know of any real world cultures that have featured anything similar? And are there still risks I'm completely overlooking that should still prevent such a practice from developing as a norm?
I developed a culture that involves cannibalism in its funerary practices. It's not something I set out intending to do, but as they were developed over the years, it ended up just seeming to make sense. In part, it's practical; they're nomads in a very harsh environment, so deaths are too common to expend much of their limited resources on, graves couldn't be kept track of, and having more food is always welcome (provided the body can pass a safety inspection to ensure eating it won't lead to more sickness and death, and from what I understand, the issue of prions seems to primarily come from consumption of brain tissue). On the more emotional and philosophical side, they view this as a way to both literally and metaphorically keep part of their loved ones with them, and they're able to feel more at peace with their mortality for the knowledge that even when they die, they'll likely still be able to provide for their friends and family one last time even in death.
(If a body is found unsuitable for consumption, parts may still be kept as momentos, but the rest of the body gets burned to avoid attracting dangerous predators or scavengers.)
My question is: do you know of any real world cultures that have featured anything similar? And are there still risks I'm completely overlooking that should still prevent such a practice from developing as a norm?
An excellent and incredible question! I actually did some research into just this topic during my Food & Culture Classes (partially because my professor said that I could)!
Answer
You have very nearly replicated the funerary practices of the Wari tribe in Brazil! Before colonization set in, they had a practice of burning their dead and then mixing the ashes into a soup or porridge and consuming the deceased over a number of days. The main purpose of this was two fold:
A) To release the individual's spirit from the bonds of flesh and,
B) To allow the grieving people to partake of their loved one and keep part of them with them
When they became colonized, the practice was made illegal, and many Wari to this day speak of regret and deep mourning about the idea of their loved ones being 'locked' in the cold ground rather than being given the spiritual release that they need. It is a deeply spiritual belief that is denied and affects them to this day.
On the topic of keeping mementos from the dead, you will find that that is a very common practice through a number of cultures. From locks of hairs, to bones. It is even practiced in the Americas via the keeping of an urn of cremated ashes in the home or turning them into jewelry. These all qualify as keeping mementos!
When it comes to the topic of health and nutrition through cannibalism, I have less knowledge as that has more scientific basis. However, from my understanding, the Wari have safely consumed human remains for centuries because of the fact that they cremate the remains to ashes. Then the ashes are consumed when mixed with other food. When it comes to prions disease and the ilk, I have less available information that would be useful.
But I highly recommend looking into the Wari tribe! It is a beautiful culture!
A) To release the individual's spirit from the bonds of flesh and,
B) To allow the grieving people to partake of their loved one and keep part of them with them
When they became colonized, the practice was made illegal, and many Wari to this day speak of regret and deep mourning about the idea of their loved ones being 'locked' in the cold ground rather than being given the spiritual release that they need. It is a deeply spiritual belief that is denied and affects them to this day.
On the topic of keeping mementos from the dead, you will find that that is a very common practice through a number of cultures. From locks of hairs, to bones. It is even practiced in the Americas via the keeping of an urn of cremated ashes in the home or turning them into jewelry. These all qualify as keeping mementos!
When it comes to the topic of health and nutrition through cannibalism, I have less knowledge as that has more scientific basis. However, from my understanding, the Wari have safely consumed human remains for centuries because of the fact that they cremate the remains to ashes. Then the ashes are consumed when mixed with other food. When it comes to prions disease and the ilk, I have less available information that would be useful.
But I highly recommend looking into the Wari tribe! It is a beautiful culture!
CvanHelsing wrote:
An excellent and incredible question! I actually did some research into just this topic during my Food & Culture Classes (partially because my professor said that I could)!
Answer
You have very nearly replicated the funerary practices of the Wari tribe in Brazil! Before colonization set in, they had a practice of burning their dead and then mixing the ashes into a soup or porridge and consuming the deceased over a number of days. The main purpose of this was two fold:
A) To release the individual's spirit from the bonds of flesh and,
B) To allow the grieving people to partake of their loved one and keep part of them with them
When they became colonized, the practice was made illegal, and many Wari to this day speak of regret and deep mourning about the idea of their loved ones being 'locked' in the cold ground rather than being given the spiritual release that they need. It is a deeply spiritual belief that is denied and affects them to this day.
On the topic of keeping mementos from the dead, you will find that that is a very common practice through a number of cultures. From locks of hairs, to bones. It is even practiced in the Americas via the keeping of an urn of cremated ashes in the home or turning them into jewelry. These all qualify as keeping mementos!
When it comes to the topic of health and nutrition through cannibalism, I have less knowledge as that has more scientific basis. However, from my understanding, the Wari have safely consumed human remains for centuries because of the fact that they cremate the remains to ashes. Then the ashes are consumed when mixed with other food. When it comes to prions disease and the ilk, I have less available information that would be useful.
But I highly recommend looking into the Wari tribe! It is a beautiful culture!
A) To release the individual's spirit from the bonds of flesh and,
B) To allow the grieving people to partake of their loved one and keep part of them with them
When they became colonized, the practice was made illegal, and many Wari to this day speak of regret and deep mourning about the idea of their loved ones being 'locked' in the cold ground rather than being given the spiritual release that they need. It is a deeply spiritual belief that is denied and affects them to this day.
On the topic of keeping mementos from the dead, you will find that that is a very common practice through a number of cultures. From locks of hairs, to bones. It is even practiced in the Americas via the keeping of an urn of cremated ashes in the home or turning them into jewelry. These all qualify as keeping mementos!
When it comes to the topic of health and nutrition through cannibalism, I have less knowledge as that has more scientific basis. However, from my understanding, the Wari have safely consumed human remains for centuries because of the fact that they cremate the remains to ashes. Then the ashes are consumed when mixed with other food. When it comes to prions disease and the ilk, I have less available information that would be useful.
But I highly recommend looking into the Wari tribe! It is a beautiful culture!
See more
Somehow, it hasn't been until this moment that my brain has bothered to recognize that, oh yeah, reducing something to ash would absolutely eliminate the majority of risks (I can't say all because I know that some toxins are actually really, really hard to get rid of). It'd destroy just about all of the nutritional content, too, but it still seems like a great way to balance things with bodies that seem questionable or otherwise unfit. I was sort of being dumb and just thinking, "well I guess they just have to burn them and that's it." Adding the ash to other foods would make it so much more digestible though!
And yeah, I've occasionally ended up learning a little about various tribes I'd never heard of before in South America while trying to research other things, and good lord they need to be better known! Instead, most people can't even tell the difference between Inca, Aztec, and Maya, let alone knowing any others have ever existed. It's also only in the past couple years that I learned about knotted cords as a data-keeping system.
Thank you!
Zelphyr wrote:
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Somehow, it hasn't been until this moment that my brain has bothered to recognize that, oh yeah, reducing something to ash would absolutely eliminate the majority of risks (I can't say all because I know that some toxins are actually really, really hard to get rid of). It'd destroy just about all of the nutritional content, too, but it still seems like a great way to balance things with bodies that seem questionable or otherwise unfit. I was sort of being dumb and just thinking, "well I guess they just have to burn them and that's it." Adding the ash to other foods would make it so much more digestible though!
And yeah, I've occasionally ended up learning a little about various tribes I'd never heard of before in South America while trying to research other things, and good lord they need to be better known! Instead, most people can't even tell the difference between Inca, Aztec, and Maya, let alone knowing any others have ever existed. It's also only in the past couple years that I learned about knotted cords as a data-keeping system.
Thank you!
I'm happy to help! It is a passion of mind. I would highly recommend looking into the Wari tribe, and the Yanomami as well for some variation. I think you will find it fascinating!
Learning the subtle differences between cultures is some of the many joys to be found in my line of study
CvanHelsing wrote:
This is my first time participating in this event, but it sounded like an excellent way to talk about my greatest passion in life!
I have a bachelors in Anthropology with a focus in Death Culture and Forensics (yes, like the show Bones). I have studied human funerary practices across the globe, the Torres method of Aztec heart removal for human sacrifice, and have worked with human remains. I am more than happy to answer any questions in relation to my field.
If I do not know the answer off the top of my head, I will be more than happy to do a bit of research for the specific question to give as accurate an answer as I can. From curiosity to questions you have for better cultural working in your writing, have at it!
I have a bachelors in Anthropology with a focus in Death Culture and Forensics (yes, like the show Bones). I have studied human funerary practices across the globe, the Torres method of Aztec heart removal for human sacrifice, and have worked with human remains. I am more than happy to answer any questions in relation to my field.
If I do not know the answer off the top of my head, I will be more than happy to do a bit of research for the specific question to give as accurate an answer as I can. From curiosity to questions you have for better cultural working in your writing, have at it!
This is super unique, and I have so many questions, but firstly I’djust like to know more about the “Aztec heart removal for human sacrifice” thing you casually mentioned, lol.
amelie_luna wrote:
CvanHelsing wrote:
This is my first time participating in this event, but it sounded like an excellent way to talk about my greatest passion in life!
I have a bachelors in Anthropology with a focus in Death Culture and Forensics (yes, like the show Bones). I have studied human funerary practices across the globe, the Torres method of Aztec heart removal for human sacrifice, and have worked with human remains. I am more than happy to answer any questions in relation to my field.
If I do not know the answer off the top of my head, I will be more than happy to do a bit of research for the specific question to give as accurate an answer as I can. From curiosity to questions you have for better cultural working in your writing, have at it!
I have a bachelors in Anthropology with a focus in Death Culture and Forensics (yes, like the show Bones). I have studied human funerary practices across the globe, the Torres method of Aztec heart removal for human sacrifice, and have worked with human remains. I am more than happy to answer any questions in relation to my field.
If I do not know the answer off the top of my head, I will be more than happy to do a bit of research for the specific question to give as accurate an answer as I can. From curiosity to questions you have for better cultural working in your writing, have at it!
This is super unique, and I have so many questions, but firstly I’djust like to know more about the “Aztec heart removal for human sacrifice” thing you casually mentioned, lol.
Happily!
The Aztecs were famous in sacrificial practice, in particular for the idea that they could remove a heart so quickly that it could be placed in offering while it was still beating. The idea seemed impossible at first until Torres suggested a method that would be so quick that the heart would still be in residual beat after removal. A technique requiring less than four minutes.
Method
This involves an incision underneath the left half of the rib cage, allowing the practicer to bypass cutting through bone entirely. Then you could simply move your hand up in the space between lung and ribcage and rip the heart free. It could be done quick and easy, with enough blood still within it that the heart would appear to still be 'alive' when presented at the altar of the chosen deity. Thus making it a powerful sacrifice
That’s amazing. Are there many other ancient death practices like that found??
amelie_luna wrote:
That’s amazing. Are there many other ancient death practices like that found??
Countless!!!!!!!
I would actually die before I even got half way through them all. Sacrifice, death, and its role in societies permeates everywhere and is performed differently in every place and every time. Its why I love it so much!
CvanHelsing wrote:
An excellent and incredible question! I actually did some research into just this topic during my Food & Culture Classes (partially because my professor said that I could)!
Answer
You have very nearly replicated the funerary practices of the Wari tribe in Brazil! Before colonization set in, they had a practice of burning their dead and then mixing the ashes into a soup or porridge and consuming the deceased over a number of days. The main purpose of this was two fold:
A) To release the individual's spirit from the bonds of flesh and,
B) To allow the grieving people to partake of their loved one and keep part of them with them
When they became colonized, the practice was made illegal, and many Wari to this day speak of regret and deep mourning about the idea of their loved ones being 'locked' in the cold ground rather than being given the spiritual release that they need. It is a deeply spiritual belief that is denied and affects them to this day.
On the topic of keeping mementos from the dead, you will find that that is a very common practice through a number of cultures. From locks of hairs, to bones. It is even practiced in the Americas via the keeping of an urn of cremated ashes in the home or turning them into jewelry. These all qualify as keeping mementos!
When it comes to the topic of health and nutrition through cannibalism, I have less knowledge as that has more scientific basis. However, from my understanding, the Wari have safely consumed human remains for centuries because of the fact that they cremate the remains to ashes. Then the ashes are consumed when mixed with other food. When it comes to prions disease and the ilk, I have less available information that would be useful.
But I highly recommend looking into the Wari tribe! It is a beautiful culture!
A) To release the individual's spirit from the bonds of flesh and,
B) To allow the grieving people to partake of their loved one and keep part of them with them
When they became colonized, the practice was made illegal, and many Wari to this day speak of regret and deep mourning about the idea of their loved ones being 'locked' in the cold ground rather than being given the spiritual release that they need. It is a deeply spiritual belief that is denied and affects them to this day.
On the topic of keeping mementos from the dead, you will find that that is a very common practice through a number of cultures. From locks of hairs, to bones. It is even practiced in the Americas via the keeping of an urn of cremated ashes in the home or turning them into jewelry. These all qualify as keeping mementos!
When it comes to the topic of health and nutrition through cannibalism, I have less knowledge as that has more scientific basis. However, from my understanding, the Wari have safely consumed human remains for centuries because of the fact that they cremate the remains to ashes. Then the ashes are consumed when mixed with other food. When it comes to prions disease and the ilk, I have less available information that would be useful.
But I highly recommend looking into the Wari tribe! It is a beautiful culture!
Super informative topic, thank you!
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