INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
OF FUNERAL
MUSEUMS
IAFM
Fédération Internationale des Associations de Thanatoloques
International Federation of Thanatologists Associations
THE WORLD ORGANIZATION OF FUNERAL OPERATIVES
Funeral Heritage
Report 2016
THE WORLD ORGANIZATION OF FUNERAL OPERATIVES
INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
OF FUNERAL
MUSEUMS
IAFM
Colofon
Biennial publication of FIAT-IFTA and IAFM
EDITORIAL OFFICE
FIAT-IFTA Secretariat
Melkpad 23
1217 KA Hilversum NL
info@thanos.org
LAYOUT & DESIGN
IDIOT Creative Concepts
Mr. Albert van Vuure
idiotcreativeconcepts.nl
PRINTING
Drukwerkconsultancy
info@drukwerkconsultancy.nl
Copyright © 2016 FIAT-IFTA
FIAT-IFTA Funeral Heritage Report
2016
1
Introduction
Page 2
Henry J. Keizer - Chair FIAT-IFTA Funeral Heritage Steering Committee
2
Unesco Heritage Lists
Page 4
Funeral Intangible Heritage Traditions and Funeral Sites
3
Hungarian Funeral Sermon
Page 14
4
Ceramic Funeral Flowers
Page 16
Xavier Puppinck - CEO SOUVENEO
5
Walking At Funerals
Page 20
Brian Parsons - Funeral Lecturer
6
Funeral Procession Evita Perón
Page 24
From: The Enduring Legacy of Eva Perón - Alexandra Kathryn Mosca
7
Funeral Cortege And Sarcophagus Of Alexander The Great
Page 28
T. Peter Limber - Specialist in Greek History
8
Sculptures At Notre-dame-des-neiges Cemetery
Page 34
Daniel Drouin - Curator at Musée National des Beaux Arts du Québec
9
The Funeral Services Of The Baganda
Page 38
Aloysius Mutyaba-Mukiibi - Manager Uganda Funeral Services
10 Ngaben: Emotion And Restraint In A Balinese Heart
Page 42
Aloysius Mutyaba-Mukiibi - Manager Uganda Funeral Services
11 Ethiopia: Traditional Oromo Burial Practices
Page 48
Christopher Grant - SIT Study Abroad
12 Ebola: Psychology, History, Culture
Page 52
Thao Nguyen - Duke University
13
Spain: Cemeteries, Tourist Destinations On The Rise
Page 56
Gabino Abanedes Guerrero - Funespaña S.A.
14 The Banquet For The Ajayu – Mast’aku
Page 60
Teresa Saavedra - 1st Vice President FIAT-IFTA, President ALPAR
15
Poland: The Tradition Of Funeral Valediction
Page 66
Marek Cichewicz - 3rd Vice President FIAT-IFTA
16 Charter
Page 70
FIAT-IFTA Charter of Global Funeral Heritage
17 Survey
Page 71
of Funeral Museums and Collections
Table of Contents
FIAT-IFTA Funeral Heritage Report
2016
FIAT-IFTA Funeral Heritage Report
2016
The FIAT IFTA Heritage Committee is proud to present its annual report to you.
Our Committee draws attention to the many impressive traditions, historical buildings and artifacts
that still exist today in relation to death, funerals and bereavement. They are worth preserving and our
Committee is very pleased that we again have received so much support in the past year.
Our accreditation as “International NGO with Consultative Status UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heri
tage” gives us many opportunities and also many tasks that still lay ahead of us. Due to this accredita
tion the international membership of FIAT-IFTA has, through our Committee, the possibility to draw
the attention of the national UNESCO Committees and the national Ministries of Culture to their local
specific cultural heritage.
Our Committee is extremely pleased that our efforts are now bringing the necessary focus and attention
within the international community of governments. With direct access to the “UNESCO NGO Forum”
our Committee has made many new important contacts and it provides us with the opportunity to create
support and receive advice from fellow NGO’s.
During the FIAT-IFTA Congress in Bologna important steps were made in creating an inventory re
garding local and national funeral traditions.
In the past year we have been supported by many active FIAT IFTA members who have dedicated much
time and effort to the work of our Committee. Not in the least we are very thankful for the support that
has been provided to us by the FIAT IFTA Secretariat.
We hope that you will enjoy the content of this report. Our Committee is always available to answer
your questions or listen to your comments.
Henry J. Keizer,
Chairman FIAT IFTA Heritage Steering Committee
President International Association of Funeral Museums, Amsterdam
Dear reader,
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A. UNESCO INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE LIST
1. INDONESIA
Indonesian Funerary Batik
Inscribed in 2009 (4.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
The techniques, symbolism and culture surrounding hand-dyed cotton and silk garments known as
Indonesian Batik permeate the lives of Indonesians from beginning to end: infants are carried in batik
slings decorated with symbols designed to bring the child luck, and the dead are shrouded in funerary batik.
Cultural practices and expressions linked to the balafon of the Senufo communities of Mali, Burkina Faso
and Côte d’Ivoire
2. MALI, BURKINA FASO, IVORY COAST
‘’Ncegele’’ Music, Funerary Music
Inscribed in 2012 (7.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
The balafon of the Senufo communities of Mali, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire is a pentatonic xylophone,
known locally as the ‘’ncegele’’. The ‘’ncegele’’ is composed of eleven to twenty-one keys of varying lengths,
made of wood, and arranged on a trapezoidal frame, also made of wood or bamboo. The instrument has
calabash gourd resonators of varying sizes, arranged beneath the frame proportionally to the keys. The
‘’ncegele’’ provides entertainment during festivities, accompanies prayers in the parishes and in sacred
woods, stimulates enthusiasm for work, punctuates funerary music and supports the teaching of value
systems, traditions, beliefs, customary law, and rules of ethics.
3. MEXICO
Indigenous festivity dedicated to the dead “Día de los Muertos
Inscribed in 2008 (3.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
As practiced by the indigenous communities of Mexico, el Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
commemorates the transitory return to Earth of deceased relatives and loved ones. The festivities take place
each year at the end of October to the beginning of November. This period also marks the completion of the
annual cycle of cultivation of maize, the country’s predominant food crop. Families facilitate the return of
the souls to Earth by laying flower petals, candles and offerings along the path leading from the cemetery to
their homes. The deceased’s favorite dishes are prepared and placed around the home shrine and the tomb
alongside flowers and typical handicrafts, such as paper cut-outs. Great care is taken with all aspects of
the preparations, for it is believed that the dead are capable of bringing prosperity (e.g. an abundant maize
harvest) or misfortune (e.g. illness, accidents, financial difficulties) upon their families depending on how
satisfactorily the rituals are executed. The dead are divided into several categories according to cause of
death, age, sex and, in some cases, profession. A specific day of worship, determined by these categories,
UNESCO
FUNERAL HERITAGE ON THE OFFICIAL
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE LISTS
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is designated for each deceased person. This encounter between the living and the dead affirms the role
of the individual within society and contributes to reinforcing the political and social status of Mexico’s
indigenous communities. The Day of the Dead celebration holds great significance in the life of Mexico’s
indigenous communities. The fusion of pre-Hispanic religious rites and Catholic feasts brings together two
universes, one marked by indigenous belief systems, the other by worldviews introduced by the Europeans in
the sixteenth century.
4. SPAIN
Drama of Death, Mystery play of Elche
Inscribed in 2008 (3.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
The mystery play of Elche is a sacred musical drama of the death, the passage into heaven (known as the
Assumption) and the crowning of the Virgin Mary. Since the mid-fifteenth century it has been performed
in the Basilica of Santa Maria and in the streets of the old city of Elche, situated in the region of Valencia.
It is a living testimony of European religious theatre of the Middle Ages and of the cult of the Virgin. This
theatrical performance, which is entirely sung, comprises two acts, performed on 14 and 15 August. These
depict the death and crowning of the Virgin in a series of scenes and related paintings: the death of Mary,
the night procession that is followed by hundreds of participants carrying candles, the morning procession,
the afternoon funeral procession in the streets of Elche,
Mystery Play of Elche, Spain
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B. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE LIST
1. BULGARIA
Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
Discovered in 1944, this tomb dates from the Hellenistic period, around the end of the 4th century BC. It
is located near Seutopolis, the capital city of the Thracian king Seutes III, and is part of a large Thracian
necropolis. The tholos has a narrow corridor and a round burial chamber, both decorated with murals
representing Thracian burial rituals and culture. These paintings are Bulgaria’s best-preserved artistic
masterpieces from the Hellenistic period.
Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari
Discovered in 1982 near the village of Sveshtari, this 3rd-century BC Thracian tomb reflects the fundamental
structural principles of Thracian cult buildings. The tomb has a unique architectural decor, with polychrome
half-human, half-plant caryatids and painted murals. The 10 female figures carved in high relief on the walls
of the central chamber and the decoration of the lunette in its vault are the only examples of this type found
so far in the Thracian lands. It is a remarkable reminder of the culture of the Getes, a Thracian people who
were in contact with the Hellenistic and Hyperborean worlds, according to ancient geographers.
2. CHINA
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
No doubt thousands of statues still remain to be unearthed at this archaeological site, which was not
discovered until 1974. Qin (d. 210 B.C.), the first unifier of China, is buried, surrounded by the famous
terracotta warriors, at the center of a complex designed to mirror the urban plan of the capital, Xianyan. The
small figures are all different; with their horses, chariots and weapons, they are masterpieces of realism and
also of great historical interest.
Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu
The temple, cemetery and family mansion of Confucius, the great philosopher, politician and educator
of the 6th–5th centuries B.C., are located at Qufu, in Shandong Province. Built to commemorate him in
478 B.C., the temple has been destroyed and reconstructed over the centuries; today it comprises more
than 100 buildings. The cemetery contains Confucius’ tomb and the remains of more than 100,000 of his
descendants. The small house of the Kong family developed into a gigantic aristocratic residence, of which
152 buildings remain. The Qufu complex of monuments has retained its outstanding artistic and historic
character due to the devotion of successive Chinese emperors over more than 2,000 years.
Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
It represents the addition of three Imperial Tombs of the Qing Dynasty in Liaoning to the Ming tombs
inscribed in 2000 and 2003. The Three Imperial Tombs of the Qing Dynasty in Liaoning Province include
the Yongling Tomb, the Fuling Tomb, and the Zhaoling Tomb, all built in the 17th century. Constructed for
the founding emperors of the Qing Dynasty and their ancestors, the tombs follow the precepts of traditional
Chinese geomancy and fengshui theory. They feature rich decoration of stone statues and carvings and tiles
with dragon motifs, illustrating the development of the funerary architecture of the Qing Dynasty. The
three tomb complexes, and their numerous edifices, combine traditions inherited from previous dynasties
and new features of Manchu civilization.
3. COLOMBIA
National Archeological Park of Tierradentro
Several monumental statues of human figures can be seen in the park, which also contains many hypogea
dating from the 6th to the 10th century. These huge underground tombs (some burial chambers are up to 12
m wide) are decorated with motifs that reproduce the internal decor of homes of the period. They reveal the
social complexity and cultural wealth of a pre-Hispanic society in the northern Andes.
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San Agustín Archaeological Park
The largest group of religious monuments and megalithic sculptures in South America stands in a wild,
spectacular landscape. Gods and mythical animals are skilfully represented in styles ranging from abstract
to realist. These works of art display the creativity and imagination of a northern Andean culture that
flourished from the 1st to the 8th century. The park is at the core of San Agustín archaeological zone
featuring the largest complex of pre-Columbian megalithic funerary monuments and statuary, burial
mounds, terraces, funerary structures, stone statuary and the Fuente de Lavapatas site, a religious
monument carved in the stone bed of a stream.
4. CYPRUS
Paphos
Paphos has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. It was a centre of the cult of Aphrodite and of pre-
Hellenic fertility deities. Aphrodite’s legendary birthplace was on this island, where her temple was erected
by the Myceneans in the 12th century B.C. The remains of villas, palaces, theatres, fortresses and tombs
mean that the site is of exceptional architectural and historic value. The mosaics of Nea Paphos are among
the most beautiful in the world.
5. CZECH REPUBLIC
Pilgrimage Church and Cemetery of St John of Nepomuk at Zelená Hora
This pilgrimage church, built in honour of St John of Nepomuk, stands at Zelená Hora, not far from Ždár
nad Sázavou in Moravia. Constructed at the beginning of the 18th century on a star-shaped plan, it is the
most unusual work by the great architect Jan Blazej Santini, whose highly original style falls between neo-
Gothic and Baroque.
6. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Complex of Koguryo Tombs
The property includes several group and individual tombs - totalling about 30 individual tombs - from the
later period of the Koguryo Kingdom, one of the strongest kingdoms in nowadays northeast China and half
of the Korean peninsula between the 3rd century BC to 7th century AD. The tombs, many with beautiful
wall paintings, are almost the only remains of this culture. Only about 90 out of more than 10,000 Koguryo
tombs discovered in China and Korea so far, have wall paintings. Almost half of these tombs are located on
this site and they are thought to have been made for the burial of kings, members of the royal family and the
aristocracy. These paintings offer a unique testimony to daily life of this period.
7. DENMARK
Roskilde Cathedral
Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, this was Scandinavia’s first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick and it
encouraged the spread of this style throughout northern Europe. It has been the mausoleum of the Danish
royal family since the 15th century. Porches and side chapels were added up to the end of the 19th century.
Thus it provides a clear overview of the development of European religious architecture.
8. EGYPT
Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis
Thebes, the city of the god Amon, was the capital of Egypt during the period of the Middle and New
Kingdoms. With the temples and palaces at Karnak and Luxor, and the necropolises of the Valley of the Kings
and the Valley of the Queens, Thebes is a striking testimony to Egyptian civilization at its height.
Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur
The capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt has some extraordinary funerary monuments, including rock
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tombs, ornate mastabas, temples and pyramids. In ancient times, the site was considered one of the Seven
Wonders of the World.
9. FINLAND
Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmäki
This Bronze Age burial site features more than 30 granite burial cairns, providing a unique insight into the
funerary practices and social and religious structures of northern Europe more than three millennia ago.
10. GERMANY
Speyer Cathedral
Speyer Cathedral, a basilica with four towers and two domes, was founded by Conrad II in 1030 and
remodeled at the end of the 11th century. It is one of the most important Romanesque monuments from the
time of the Holy Roman Empire. The cathedral was the burial place of the German emperors for almost 300
years.
11. GREECE
Archaeological Site of Aigai (modern name Vergina)
The city of Aigai, the ancient first capital of the Kingdom of Macedonia, was discovered in the 19th century
near Vergina, in northern Greece. The most important remains are the monumental palace, lavishly
decorated with mosaics and painted stuccoes, and the burial ground with more than 300 tumuli, some of
which date from the 11th century B.C. One of the royal tombs in the Great Tumulus is identified as that of
Philip II, who conquered all the Greek cities, paving the way for his son Alexander and the expansion of the
Hellenistic world.
12. HUNGARY
Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs (Sopianae)
In the 4th century, a remarkable series of decorated tombs were constructed in the cemetery of the Roman
provincial town of Sopianae (modern Pécs). These are important both structurally and architecturally, since they
were built as underground burial chambers with memorial chapels above the ground. The tombs are important also
in artistic terms, since they are richly decorated with murals of outstanding quality depicting Christian themes.
13. INDIA
Taj Mahal
An immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal
emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, the Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and
one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage.
Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi
This tomb, built in 1570, is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian
subcontinent. It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj
Mahal.
14. ISRAEL
Necropolis of Bet She’arim: A Landmark of Jewish Renewal
Consisting of a series of catacombs, the necropolis developed from the 2nd century AD as the primary Jewish
burial place outside Jerusalem following the failure of the second Jewish revolt against Roman rule. Located
southeast of the city of Haifa, these catacombs are a treasury of artworks and inscriptions in Greek, Aramaic,
Hebrew and Palmyrene. Bet She’arim bears unique testimony to ancient Judaism under the leadership of
Rabbi Judah the Patriarch, who is credited with Jewish renewal after 135 AD.
top: Ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent, Rusia
below: Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, India
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15. ITALY
Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia
These two large Etruscan cemeteries reflect different types of burial practices from the 9th to the 1st century
BC, and bear witness to the achievements of Etruscan culture. Which over nine centuries developed the
earliest urban civilization in the northern Mediterranean. Some of the tombs are monumental, cut in rock
and topped by impressive tumuli (burial mounds). Many feature carvings on their walls, others have wall
paintings of outstanding quality. The necropolis near Cerveteri, known as Banditaccia, contains thousands
of tombs organized in a city-like plan, with streets, small squares and neighborhoods. The site contains very
different types of tombs: trenches cut in rock; tumuli; and some, also carved in rock, in the shape of huts or
houses with a wealth of structural details. These provide the only surviving evidence of Etruscan residential
architecture. The necropolis of Tarquinia, also known as Monterozzi, contains 6,000 graves cut in the rock.
It is famous for its 200 painted tombs, the earliest of which date from the 7th century BC.
16. JORDAN
Petra
Inhabited since prehistoric times, this Nabataean caravan-city, situated between the Red Sea and the Dead
Sea, was an important crossroads between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia. Petra is half-built, half-carved
into the rock, and is surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges.
The Outstanding Universal Value of Petra resides in the vast extent of elaborate tomb and temple
architecture; religious high places; the remnant channels, tunnels and diversion dams that combined with
a vast network of cisterns and reservoirs which controlled and conserved seasonal rains, and the extensive
archaeological remains including of copper mining, temples, churches and other public buildings. The
fusion of Hellenistic architectural facades with traditional Nabataean rock-cut temple/tombs including the
Khasneh, the Urn Tomb, the Palace Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb and the Deir (“monastery”) represents a
unique artistic achievement and an outstanding architectural ensemble.
17. KASAKHSTAN
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, in the town of Yasi, now Turkestan, was built at the time of Timur
(Tamerlane), from 1389 to 1405. In this partly unfinished building, Persian master builders experimented
with architectural and structural solutions later used in the construction of Samarkand, the capital of the
Timurid Empire. Today, it is one of the largest and best-preserved constructions of the Timurid period.
18. MALI
Tomb of Askia
The dramatic 17-m pyramidal structure of the Tomb of Askia was built by Askia Mohamed, the Emperor of
Songhai, in 1495 in his capital Gao. It bears testimony to the power and riches of the empire that flourished
in the 15th and 16th centuries through its control of the trans-Saharan trade, notably in salt and gold. It is
also a fine example of the monumental mud-building traditions of the West African Sahel. The complex,
including the pyramidal tomb, two flat-roofed mosque buildings, the mosque cemetery and the open-air
assembly ground, was built when Gao became the capital of the Songhai Empire and after Askia Mohamed
had returned from Mecca and made Islam the official religion of the empire.
19. MALTA
Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
The Hypogeum is an enormous subterranean structure excavated c. 2500 B.C., using cyclopean rigging to
lift huge blocks of coralline limestone. Perhaps originally a sanctuary, it became a necropolis in prehistoric
times.
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The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum (underground cemetery) was discovered in 1902 on a hill overlooking the
innermost part of the Grand Harbour of Valletta, in the town of Paola. It is a unique prehistoric monument,
which seems to have been conceived as an underground cemetery, originally containing the remains of about
7,000 individuals. The cemetery was in use throughout the Żebbuġ, Ġgantija and Tarxien Phases of Maltese
Prehistory, spanning from around 4000 B.C. to 2500 B.C.
20. OMAN
Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn
The protohistoric site of Bat lies near a palm grove in the interior of the Sultanate of Oman. Together with
the neighboring sites, it forms the most complete collection of settlements and necropolises from the 3rd
millennium B.C. in the world.
The vast necropolis at Bat includes different clusters of monumental tombs that can be divided into two
distinct groups. The first group is Hafit-period “beehive” tombs located on the top of the rocky slopes
surrounding Bat, while the second group extends over a river terrace and includes more than a hundred
dry-stone cairn tombs. Another important group of beehive tombs is located at Qubur Juhhal at al-Ayn,
22 km east-southeast of Bat. Most of these tombs are small, single-chambered, round tombs with dry
masonry walls dating to the beginning of the 3rd millennium BCE. Others are more elaborate, bigger, multi-
chambered tombs from the second half of the 3rdrd millennium BCE.
21. PAKISTAN
Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta
The capital of three successive dynasties and later ruled by the Mughal emperors of Delhi, Thatta was
constantly embellished from the 14th to the 18th century. The remains of the city and its necropolis provide a
unique view of civilization in Sind.
The vast necropolis of Makli is among the largest in the world. Kings, queens, governors, saints, scholars, and
philosophers are buried here in brick or stone monuments, some of which are lavishly decorated with glazed
tiles. Among the outstanding monuments constructed in stone are the tombs of Jam Nizamuddin II, who
reigned from 1461 to 1509, and of lsa Khan Tarkhan the Younger and of his father, Jan Baba, both of whose
mausolea were constructed before 1644. The most colorful is that of Diwan Shurfa Khan (died in 1638).
22. PORTUGAL
Monastery of Alcobaça
The Monastery of Santa Maria d’Alcobaça, north of Lisbon, was founded in the 12th century by King Alfonso
I. Its size, the purity of its architectural style, the beauty of the materials and the care with which it was built
make this a masterpiece of Cistercian Gothic art.
The founding of the Monastery of Alcobaça, located in central Portugal, is closely associated with the
beginning of the Portuguese monarchy.
The ultimate symbol of this privileged relationship with the Portuguese monarchy can be found in the
famous tombs of Inês de Castro and Dom Pedro (Peter I). King Peter I commissioned the twin tombs after
the dramatic event that would later inspire the poet Luís Vaz de Camões, the writer Velez de Guevara and so
many other authors and filmmakers. The design of a high sarcophagus supporting the giants watched over
by angels, frequently used in the 14th century, finds here one of its greatest artistic expressions. The stylistic
quality of the sculptured ornaments, despite having been mutilated by Napoleon’s troops in 1810-1811, is
surpassed by the compelling symbolism of the iconography, which evokes human destiny, death, and the
Christian hope of eternal life. Built c. 1360, the tombs are the tangible sign of Peter I’s mystical rehabilitation
of Inês, assassinated at Coimbra on the orders of King Alfonso IV.
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23. REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites
The prehistoric cemeteries at Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa contain many hundreds of examples
of dolmens - tombs from the 1st millennium BC constructed of large stone slabs. They form part of the
Megalithic culture, found in many parts of the world, but nowhere in such a concentrated form.
Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty
The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty form a collection of 40 tombs scattered over 18 locations. Built over
five centuries, from 1408 to 1966, the tombs honored the memory of ancestors, showed respect for their
achievements, asserted royal authority, protected ancestral spirits from evil and provided protection from
vandalism. Spots of outstanding natural beauty were chosen for the tombs which typically have their back
protected by a hill as they face south toward water and, ideally, layers of mountain ridges in the distance.
Alongside the burial area, the royal tombs feature a ceremonial area and an entrance. In addition to the
burial mounds, associated buildings that are an integral part of the tombs include a T-shaped wooden shrine,
a shed for stele, a royal kitchen and a guards’ house, a red-spiked gate and the tomb keeper’s house. The
grounds are adorned on the outside with a range of stone objects including figures of people and animals.
The Joseon Tombs completes the 5,000-year history of royal tombs architecture in the Korean peninsula.
24. RUSSIA
Ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent
The Novodevichy Convent, in south-western Moscow, built in the 16th and 17th centuries in the so-called
Moscow Baroque style, was part of a chain of monastic ensembles that were integrated into the defense
system of the city. The convent was directly associated with the political, cultural and religious history
of Russia, and closely linked to the Moscow Kremlin. It was used by women of the Tsar’s family and the
aristocracy. Members of the Tsar’s family and entourage were also buried in its cemetery. The convent
provides an example of the highest accomplishments of Russian architecture with rich interiors and an
important collection of paintings and artefacts.
25. SWEDEN
Skogskyrkogården
This Stockholm cemetery was created between 1917 and 1920 by two young architects, Asplund and
Lewerentz, on the site of former gravel pits overgrown with pine trees. The design blends vegetation and
architectural elements, taking advantage of irregularities in the site to create a landscape that is finely
adapted to its function. It has had a profound influence in many countries of the world.
26. UGANDA
Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi
The Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi constitute a site embracing almost 30 ha of hillside within Kampala
district. Most of the site is agricultural, farmed by traditional methods. At its core on the hilltop is the former
palace of the Kabakas of Buganda, built in 1882 and converted into the royal burial ground in 1884. Four royal
tombs now lie within the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga, the main building, which is circular and surmounted by a
dome. It is a major example of an architectural achievement in organic materials, principally wood, thatch, reed,
wattle and daub. The site’s main significance lies, however, in its intangible values of belief, spirituality, continuity
and identity.
The site is the major spiritual center for the Baganda where traditional and cultural practices have been preserved.
The Kasubi Tombs are the most active religious place in the kingdom, where rituals are frequently performed. Its
place as the burial ground for the previous four kings (Kabakas) qualifies it as a religious center for the royal family,
a place where the Kabaka and his representatives carry out important rituals related to Buganda culture. The site
represents a place where communication links with the spiritual world are maintained.
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27. UNITED KINGDOM
Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites
Stonehenge and Avebury, in Wiltshire, are among the most famous groups of megaliths in the world. The
two sanctuaries consist of circles of menhirs arranged in a pattern whose astronomical significance is
still being explored. These holy places and the nearby Neolithic sites are an incomparable testimony to
prehistoric times.
Stonehenge is the most architecturally sophisticated prehistoric stone circle in the world, while Avebury
is the largest. Together with inter-related monuments, and their associated landscapes, they demonstrate
Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial and mortuary practices resulting from around 2000 years of
continuous use and monument building between circa 3700 and 1600 BC. As such they represent a unique
embodiment of our collective heritage.
Heart of Neolithic Orkney
The group of Neolithic monuments on Orkney consists of a large chambered tomb (Maes Howe), two
ceremonial stone circles (the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar) and a settlement (Skara Brae),
together with a number of unexcavated burial, ceremonial and settlement sites. The group constitutes a
major prehistoric cultural landscape which gives a graphic depiction of life in this remote archipelago in the
far north of Scotland some 5,000 years ago.
The group of monuments that make up the Heart of Neolithic Orkney consists of a remarkably well-
preserved settlement, a large chambered tomb, and two stone circles with surrounding henges, together with
a number of associated burial and ceremonial sites. The group constitutes a major relict cultural landscape
graphically depicting life five thousand years ago in this remote archipelago.
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The oldest handwritten Hungarian text in Latin characters dating from 1192-95
Behold, brethren, with your own eyes, what we
are. Behold, ‘tis but dust and ashes that we are.
In what grace did [God] create in the begin
ning our ancestor, Adam, and he gave unto him
Paradise as an abode. And he gave unto him all
the fruits of paradise for life. Only one fruit did
he forbid unto him. But he also told him why
he must not eat: “Verily, the day thou shall eat
thereof, thou shalt die with deadly death”. He
heard his own death from God, his Creator, but
he forgot. He yielded to the devil’s bidding and
ate of that forbidden fruit, and he ate death
therewith. And the juice of that fruith was so
bitter that it stuck in his throat. Not only for
himself, but for all his kind did he eat death.
And God was wrathful and threw him into this
world of labours, and he became a prey unto
death and hell, and all his kind. Who are they?
We are. As ye behold with your own eyes: verily,
no man shall escape this pit, verily, we shall all
come therein. Let us worship the grace of God
for this soul, that he may have mercy on him,
and be graceful, and may forgive all his sins. We
ask the blessed Virgin and the blessed Archangel
Michael and all the angels to pray for him. And
we adore Lord Saint Peter
To whom the power hath been giveneth to
release and to bond, to release from All the sins.
And we adore all saints
To be of his aid before our Lord so that God
may forgive his sin on account of Their prayer.
And may he be delivered from the persecution
of the devil and the torment of hell and may
he be led into the Tranquility of paradise and
be showneth The way to heaven and may he
partake of all that is good. And ye shall cry out
Three times to our Lord:
kyrie eleison!
My beloved brothers and sisters!
Ye shall say prayers for the soul of This poor
man, who hath been saveth by the Lord from
the prison of this False world, whose body we
bury
On this day so that the Lord may place him in
his grace on the bosom of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob
Among the chosen ones,
His saints who sit upon His right hand; And
that this man’s soul may ascend When the Day
of Judgment comes.
So be it for you all.
Clamate ter. Kyrie Eleison!
HUNGARIAN
FUNERAL
SERMON AND PRAYER
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Ceramic flowers are unique handmade products. They date back to the middle of the
19th century and are an example of France’s long ceramic tradition, mixed with a spe
cific tradition in grave decoration. These ceramic flowers are to be found everywhere in
France and also in some places over the world on graves, to honour the dead.
Grave decoration is very popular in France, for
two main reasons:
Graves in France are generally made of two
parts: a headstone and a tombstone. The
tombstone is the large, flat stone laid over a
grave. It can measure up to 3 meters wide and 2
meters long. It is mostly made of granite. This
bare area is very often used to put funerary
decoration items like granite plaques, artificial
flowers, or ceramic flowers.
Traditionally, French families do not go as
often to cemeteries to tend loved ones’ graves,
as in other countries like Spain or Italy for
example. Graves are usually visited once a year
for All Saints’ Day, but rarely during the rest
of the year. Therefore, families decorate the
graves with long-lasting products that do not
need regular maintenance.
Company
We need to return to the middle of the nine
teenth century to find the origins of the
brand that has become Céramiques de France
today. There is little written evidence of old
times in the company, but we know that the
FOUBERT family founded the production of
ceramic flowers in 1856 near Lille, Northern
France, then moved to Béthune, 50 kilometers
away, for unknown reasons. The company
went through various troubles: two World
Wars that destroyed part or all of the factory,
economic crises, and even two fires... In 1988,
CERAMIC
FLOWERS
A CHARMING TRADITIONAL
PRODUCT FROM FRANCE
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the company was taken over by the company’s
Financial Officer, but after 10 years of hard
ships, it was sold to the company CHRISOLA,
leading French company on the field of funer
ary items in France. Still belonging to the same
group, the brand Céramiques de France has
recently been integrated to a new company,
SOUVENEO, to form France’s largest producer
of funerary items. In spite of all these changes,
Céramiques de France managed to keep its
know-how and to pass it on from one genera
tion to the next.
Funerary items are a common sight in French
cemeteries. Almost every grave bears granite or
porcelain plaques, artificial or ceramic flowers
to honour the loved ones. Creativity bears no
limit to develop the most beautiful products.
Ceramic flowers has a unique advantage when
compared with the other funerary products:
they are forever lasting, as ceramics are pro
duced in a way that make them weather and
time resistant. Ceramic flowers can be found
in different sizes and uses: vase tops and grave
decoration (top or front). As for cremations,
there are some new options available today,
with little flower sets aimed at hanging or
glued on the grave.
Unique know-how
Producing a ceramic flower requires many
manual operations. The ceramist’s knack is
acquired over many years, turning the men
and women into true artisans of art. Ceramic
flowers are made by hand out of a special mix
of plastic clay. Each petal, each leave is shaped
separately by the same artist and then assem
bled on a plaster basis. According to the size
of the composition and/or the complexity of
the flowers, it can take between 15mn and up
to a complete day to shape a full set of flow
ers. The ceramic flower then dries naturally
during about a week before being fired for
about 24hours in a gas oven, to make it solid.
After the first firing, the flowers are then glazed
(painted) by hand, either with a tiny brush,
or with a little spraying device. Each colour
is applied separately, in order to avoid melt
ing colours. This stage can also take between
a few minutes and many long hours. Then
the ceramic is fired a second time for another
24 hours in the oven. After firing, the colours
reveal their shine.
Each ceramic flower being shaped and painted
by hand, each of them is unique and different,
even for the same set of flowers.
Basis
The flowers are set on a cast porcelain basis,
produced according to traditional ceramic
techniques: In order to make a cast object,
you must have a mould (made of plaster). This
delicate operation, mould casting, consists of
filling a matrix (the mother mould) with liquid
plaster to create the mould that will enable
shaping the basis. When the plaster mould is
dry, it can be filled with a mix of clay. Once
cast, the items are removed from the mould
and dried for several days. They are then glazed
by spraying and then put into a gas kiln and
fired for 24 hours.
Fixing and shipping
The ceramic flowers and the basis are then
fixed together by gluing. Sometimes, screws
are attached in order to receive the name plate
to personalize the ceramic flowers.Ceramic
flowers are then shipped all over France, and
the world. Indeed, customers are also to be
found elsewhere in Europe (Belgium, Gibraltar
and the UK mainly) but also further away in
Australia and New-Zealand, among others.
Quality and durability
What makes ceramic flowers unique is the
quality of the products and their excellent
durability in an outdoor environment. They