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Encyclopedia of Cremation - Davies, Douglas James - [N27] (Size: 3.83 MB)
DescriptionEncyclopedia of Cremation by Douglas J. Davies English | PDF | ISBN-10: 0754637735 | ISBN-13: 978-0754637738 April 2016 | Ashgate Pub Co; 1 edition  Encyclopedias CONTENTS Cover Contents Illustrations Abbreviations Acknowledgements List of Contributors Introduction A-Z Entries Cremation Statistics A Chronology of Cremation Cremation Society Archive Sources Select Bibliography Index Excerpt: Cremation is one of the elementary forms of human behaviour, uniting, as it does, fire and death, two of the most fundamental features of existence. In cremation, fire combines with death not simply as some mechanical technique of corpse combustion, even though at certain times and in certain cultures that industrial image may predominate, but also as a value-laden and socially grounded means of coping with death and reflecting upon the meaning of life. This social frame elevates the process beyond mere combustion to a higher domain of action – one rooted in beliefs drawn from myths and religious doctrines and ritually expressed in symbolic ways that give meaning to life and significance to human destiny. The mid-nineteenth century witnessed the intellectual birth of modern cremation and the later twentieth its real implementation and growth. As the twenty-first century begins, the significantly high levels of cremation in many parts of northern and western Europe stand as a backdrop for a rapid increase of acceptance of cremation in many other parts of the world. This Encyclopedia of Cremation seeks a broad account of the nature of cremation across the ages and within many different societies. It is the first single volume devoted to such an extensive task. To achieve its goal it has sought contributors from the academic, as well as from the practical, world of cremation management. The differences of interest present in those worlds are represented in the many articles produced through the generous participation of authors. Often, it has been necessary to generate information from primary resources precisely because cremation has seldom attracted widespread intellectual attention. Although it would be easy to view the Encyclopedia ’s entries as so many distinct and separate items, any sustained reading will show how the practice of cremation serves as one potentially fruitful means of access to a culture and its view of the world. It will soon become apparent how cremation has served as a means of expressing key cultural values. Indeed, cremation has served, at different times and places, as both a fundamental means of religious symbolism and a crucial form of religious and political protest. Sharing Widget |