Evidence of Societys Commemoration According to Artifacts from Ancient to Modern - Book Report/Review Example

 1. Introduction and thesis All humankind is mortal, but the annals of history are replete with objects that manifest people’s defiance of what should have been their imminent descent into obscurity after death. It is a universal desire that people be remembered in death for the work and good deeds they have performed in life. Many artifacts from ancient to modern times provide evidence of society’s commemoration of their dead, but the most widespread of these are the very tombs and resting places of the deceased. This report aims to produce an overview of the various objects and artifacts which have become mute witnesses to the lives and accomplishments of those who have passed on. What makes this search relevant and novel is that people of all cultures and all ages around the world honor their beloved dead (while seeking to dishonor those considered enemies by the social order) and commemorate them by setting up markers, tombstones, mausoleums, pyramids, and other tangible testaments. While the means and methods are culture-specific, the desire to keep the memory – and sometimes, even the mortal remains – of those who pass away, appears to be universal and all-inclusive. 2. Tombstones One of the simplest and most common testaments to the life and deeds of the deceased is the tombstone which marks his/her resting place. The Roman tombstones typically narrate something of the lives of the deceased whether they be statesman or slave, men, women or children – whatever their walk of life. The photograph below is one such tombstone. A Roman tombstone from Cirencester http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/oILetHj3S0-bRtrlSZERxw The Cirencester tombstone bore an inscription which said: “Sextus Valerius Genialis, trooper of the Calvary Regiment of Thracians, a Frisian tribesman, from the troop of Genialis, aged 40, of 20 years' service, lies buried here. His heir had this set up.” It is estimated that Genialis could probably have died in the year 60 A.D. or thereabouts (BBCa, n.pag.). Looking at these tombstones, one is inspired to contemplate on the lives of the simple people buried there, whose stories have survived the millennia thanks to the family and friends who have taken care to immortalize their memories in stone. 3. Mausoleums There are instances when the erection of simple tombstones is deemed not sufficient to honor some of those who passed away. In such instances, which usually involve the deceased being among the elite, families have grand mausoleums constructed to serve as testament to the deceased. Probably the most famous of mausoleums is the Taj Mahal in India, which marks the resting place of Mumtaz Mahal the wife of Shah Jahan who was known for her beauty and the undying love between her and the Shah. The Taj Mahal, by day and night. http://www.tajmahal.com/ It was said that the Taj Mahal took 22 years to build (1631-1653) and involved 20,000 workers (TajMahal.com, n.pag.). The marble structure displays design traditions of Persian and earlier Mughal architecture, such as its central dome and its four minarets, and is renowned for its remarkable beauty both during the day and the night, when it exhibits different but equally breathtaking views. It was constructed by the grieving Shah, and today is counted as one of the wonders of the world (Dept. of Tourism, n.pag.) 4. Pyramids The Great Pyramid of Giza The King’s Chamber holding an empty sarcophagus The Pyramids of Giza, http://www.culturefocus.com/egypt_pyramids.htm When discussing monuments to the deceased, there is probably no greater or more famous monument as that of the pyramids in which were buried the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Of these, the most renowned are the Pyramids of Giza, shown here as encountered in one of the cyber journeys. Built around 4,500 years ago, on a rocky desert plateau adjacent to the Nile River, these imposing structures were more than just grandiose tombs for kings. They were actually believed to be stairways to the great beyond to where the deceased monarch is believed to ascend. The design and purpose of the pyramids have so inspired scholars that they have provoked strong debate, not only because of their apparent symbolism but the manner in which they had been constructed, which would have required techniques and methods long far advanced for their time (CultureFocus.com, n.pag.). 5. Death Masks Without a doubt one of the eeriest cultural objects associated with death are the death masks, which are actual casts of the face of the deceased, rendered in wax or plaster and taken a few hours after breath has left the body. Its intention is to provide a truthful representation of the countenance of the deceased, before photography was possible (Jays, n.pag.). Famous death masks had been made of the pharaohs of Egypt, but this ancient practice has survived until modern times. Two masks shown below belong to Napoleon Bonaparte, on the left, which is on display in the British Museum in London, and Heinrich Himmler on the right, found in the Imperial War Museum also in London. These two specimens show that not only were death masks made to commemorate the beloved dead, but also to immortalize those who were infamous in life. Napoleon was renowned for his ambition to propagate an imperial monarchy throughout Europe in the early 1800s, and thought nothing of the death and destruction he caused in the course of what is now termed the Napoleonic Wars (Lefebvre, 139). Himmler was likewise a tyrant, a leading member of the Nazi Party one of Adolf Hitler’s most trusted officers. He arose to be one of the most powerful men in Germany in the years leading to and including the Second World War, and he was the person who was most directly responsible for the killing of millions of Jews during the Holocaust (Longerich, 147). The death mask of Napoleon, left, and Heinrich Himmler, right Napoleon: http://www.obit-mag.com/articles/death-doesnt-lie Himmler: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Himmler-death-mask.jpg 6. Conclusion All humankind is mortal, but the annals of history are replete with objects that manifest people’s defiance of what should have been their imminent descent into obscurity after death. Objects such as tombstones and face masks, and structures such as mausoleums and pyramids, serve to enshrine the memory of those people, both good and evil, peasants and royalty, from ever falling into the abyss of the forgotten. Whether the person is a Napoleon or a Genialis, the memento created of him or her after death shall remain an immortal testament of the time that such a person had once walked the earth. Works Cited British Broadcasting Company (BBCa). ‘A Roman tombstone from Cirencester.’ A History of the World. 2010: n. pag. http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/oILetHj3S0-bRtrlSZERxw. 27 November 2012 CultureFocus.com. ‘Egypt the Pyramids of Giza.’ Exploring the World. 2012: n.pag. http://www.culturefocus.com/egypt_pyramids.htm. 27 November 2012. Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh. ‘Panoramic View of TajMahal.’ The Official Website of Taj Mahal. 2012: n.pag. http://www.tajmahal.gov.in/ 27 November 2012. Jays, D. ‘Death Doesn’t Lie.’ Obit. 6 July 2009: n.pag. http://www.obit-mag.com/articles/death-doesnt-lie. 27 November 2012. Lefebvre, G. Napoleon. New York, NY: Routledge, 2011. Longerich, P. Heinrich Himmler: A Life. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Taj Mahal, 2012: n.pag. http://www.tajmahal.com/ 27 November 2012. Read More