The Place of the Dead by Bruce Gordon

The Place of the Dead by Bruce Gordon

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Summary

Although much has been published on the social history of death, this book provides a comprehensive account of attitudes towards the dead. The contributions range widely geographically, from Scotland to Transylvania, and address such topics as attitudes towards the corpse, patterns of burial, forms of commemoration, the treatment of dead infants, the afterlife and ghosts.

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The Place of the Dead by Bruce Gordon

This volume of essays provides a comprehensive treatment of a very significant component of the societies of late medieval and early modern Europe: the dead. It argues that to contemporaries the 'placing' of the dead, in physical, spiritual and social terms, was a vitally important exercise, and one which often involved conflict and complex negotiation. The contributions range widely geographically, from Scotland to Transylvania, and address a spectrum of themes: attitudes towards the corpse, patterns of burial, forms of commemoration, the treatment of dead infants, the nature of the afterlife and ghosts. Individually the essays help to illuminate several current historiographical concerns: the significance of the Black Death, the impact of the protestant and catholic Reformations, and interactions between 'elite' and 'popular' culture. Collectively, by exploring the social and cultural meanings of attitudes towards the dead, they provide insight into the way these past societies understood themselves.
'These are microstudies of a very high standard, with thorough bibliographies, which provide a refreshing examination of topics that are important for the history of theology' Expository Times
SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9780521645188
ISBN 10 0521645182
Title The Place of the Dead
Author Bruce Gordon
Condition Unavailable
Binding Type Paperback
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Year published 2000-01-28
Number of pages 340
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.