12/21/2005: Church with ornamental human bones

Undertoad · 12-21-2005, 06:24 PM

The Sedlec Ossuary in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic, is a small Christian chapel. Looks quite ordinary...

Except that the interior is entirely decorated with human bones.

Chandelier.

Coat-of-arms detail.

It's all from this fansite for the chapel which details the whole thing, including the fact that the raw material for it included "40,000 sets of human bones".

Trilby · 12-21-2005, 06:31 PM

How do you say "Creepy" in Czech?

joelnwil · 12-21-2005, 06:32 PM

Utterly cool!

Happy Monkey · 12-21-2005, 06:48 PM

All those churches worrying about running out of graveyard space? Hint, hint...

Perry Winkle · 12-21-2005, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brianna

How do you say "Creepy" in Czech?

creepy feeling - mravenčení

or something...not sure just started learning but that's what my dictionary says

Anyway, I can't wait to visit this place next week.

Samael · 12-21-2005, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

All those churches worrying about running out of graveyard space? Hint, hint...

You joke, but honestly, thats part of the reason why the bones were used in the first place.

I took a class my senior year entitled History of Death in America, and among other things, we talked about this church (or another one like it, not sure if it was exactly this one) and the ideas about death surrounding it.

As expected, most people found it rather creepy and macabre, but obviously, it being a Christian church, it wasn't viewed as creepy around the time it was being used.

Our teacher told us that it used to be that when you died you were buried within the church grounds. Unfortunately, with people dying every day, and church lands not exactly getting any bigger, the places tended to fill up. Thus, some churches (i.e. this one) decided to make use of all the human remains.

And there you have it. As to the evolution of attitudes towards death, and how much things have changed, and the reasoning behind it all....well, it was a semester long class, so I don't think we have time for it here.

- Sam

Samael · 12-21-2005, 07:00 PM

Also, if you search on google you can find lots of other churches and chapels with similar decorating tastes. Just search for "capuchin church bones"

<a href="http://www.google.com/search?hs=NpY&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=capuchin+church+bones&btnG=Search"> Google Search</a>

Undertoad · 12-21-2005, 07:08 PM

That's the power of the IotD... I've never heard of this item before, but if I post it, a lurker will arrive within a half-hour to explain the whole thing.

(That's another way of saying, welcome Sam! Thanks.)

Lucy · 12-21-2005, 07:20 PM

I would love to see that. Very cool.

capnhowdy · 12-21-2005, 07:30 PM

Welcome to the Cellar, Samael.

I won't make any bones about it , but that is where the whole ball of wax is rolling.
Soon people will have to start buying land in desolate or geographically substandard ares to bury their dead. No more family plots. An error in planning.
Cremation has edged up in society from an alternative, and will most likely leap to the norm shortly.
Our entire species is getting lazier and lazier. Most people these days would prefer having ashes handy as opposed to a trip to the cemetary.
Anyway the bones in these images are creepy to me but they are placed with an artistic aire. I would like to visit and see this firsthand. The way the bones are integrated with metals and other material within theme is way cool to me (in the first page of UT's link).
Seems like there would be a lot of legal tape to wade through to display one's bones in public. The creepy side keeps creeping up on me.

Kitsune · 12-21-2005, 10:19 PM

What I wouldn't give to visit this place and carry along a pair of xylophone mallets.

xoxoxoBruce · 12-21-2005, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Unfortunately, with people dying every day, and church lands not exactly getting any bigger, the places tended to fill up. Thus, some churches (i.e. this one) decided to make use of all the human remains.

The poor and disenfranchised had to be disposed of, too. 7 million, under Paris.

Elspode · 12-21-2005, 10:35 PM

I hope that they build their Christmastime Nativity out of bones, too...

chrisinhouston · 12-22-2005, 08:52 AM

Wow, Iv'e heard of churches that are popular but this is surely one that people are just dying to get in to! :p

barefoot serpent · 12-22-2005, 10:14 AM

La Danse Macabre performed daily.

12-21-2005, 06:24 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	12/21/2005: Church with ornamental human bones The Sedlec Ossuary in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic, is a small Christian chapel. Looks quite ordinary... Except that the interior is entirely decorated with human bones. Chandelier. Coat-of-arms detail. It's all from this fansite for the chapel which details the whole thing, including the fact that the raw material for it included "40,000 sets of human bones".

12-21-2005, 06:31 PM	#2
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	How do you say "Creepy" in Czech? __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

12-21-2005, 06:48 PM	#4
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	All those churches worrying about running out of graveyard space? Hint, hint... __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

12-21-2005, 07:30 PM	#10
capnhowdy Blatantly Homosapien Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 6,200	Welcome to the Cellar, Samael. I won't make any bones about it , but that is where the whole ball of wax is rolling. Soon people will have to start buying land in desolate or geographically substandard ares to bury their dead. No more family plots. An error in planning. Cremation has edged up in society from an alternative, and will most likely leap to the norm shortly. Our entire species is getting lazier and lazier. Most people these days would prefer having ashes handy as opposed to a trip to the cemetary. Anyway the bones in these images are creepy to me but they are placed with an artistic aire. I would like to visit and see this firsthand. The way the bones are integrated with metals and other material within theme is way cool to me (in the first page of UT's link). Seems like there would be a lot of legal tape to wade through to display one's bones in public. The creepy side keeps creeping up on me. __________________ Please type slowly. I can't read very fast............... and no holy water, please.

12-21-2005, 10:35 PM	#13
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	I hope that they build their Christmastime Nativity out of bones, too... __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

12-21-2005, 06:32 PM	#3
joelnwil Major Inhabitant Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Silver Spring MD Posts: 128	Utterly cool!

12-21-2005, 07:00 PM	#7
Samael Person Who Has Posted Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 2	Also, if you search on google you can find lots of other churches and chapels with similar decorating tastes. Just search for "capuchin church bones" <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hs=NpY&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=capuchin+church+bones&btnG=Search"> Google Search</a>

12-21-2005, 07:08 PM	#8
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	That's the power of the IotD... I've never heard of this item before, but if I post it, a lurker will arrive within a half-hour to explain the whole thing. (That's another way of saying, welcome Sam! Thanks.)

12-21-2005, 07:20 PM	#9
Lucy Colloquialist Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Georgia Posts: 75	I would love to see that. Very cool.

12-21-2005, 10:19 PM	#11
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	What I wouldn't give to visit this place and carry along a pair of xylophone mallets.

12-22-2005, 08:52 AM	#14
chrisinhouston Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,857	Wow, Iv'e heard of churches that are popular but this is surely one that people are just dying to get in to! :p

12-22-2005, 10:14 AM	#15
barefoot serpent go ahead, abbrev. it Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 2,623	La Danse Macabre performed daily.

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