The Living Room

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Here are some photos of graves that may seem very unusual to us. They say a lot about how people envision the after death existence of their loved ones. Certainly we all want our loved ones to be comfortable in death, to have whatever they need, and perhaps, even be held in high regard by the other residents of whatever plane of existence they happen to be on.

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In mainstream western culture, it is common for people to imagine that after death, we will no longer need a couch, or a drink, or a pair of shoes. But in many parts of the world, the afterlife is envisioned to be very similar to this one. The dead need food, money and a place to dwell. They might need a car to get around. They might find a job, or fall in love.

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Where I work, families don't bury living rooms for their dead, but many send along candy, a beer, or photos. They put some money in their loved one's pocket or write them a letter.

Whatever a person's faith, their picture of existence after death is always based on their experiences in life. We have no other point of reference to draw from. So, maybe grandma's ghost will walk around her tomb, look in the mirror and pour herself a drink. Maybe dad will open up our letter in the hereafter and be reminded of how much we love him, or finally learn the secret we held back from him in life. Maybe our infant son will be comforted by the teddy bear we sent along with him to his grave. Maybe the fact that we put fuzzy slippers on mom will keep her feet from getting too cold. Maybe it will, and maybe it won't. In any case, it makes us feel better. It allows us to perform one more act of love, to work through our grief, and in our mind, at least, they are happier because we tried.

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View From Above; Two Cities of the Dead

Breathtaking photos from Yann Arthus-Bertrand

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/10/earth_from_above_comes_to_nyc.html

Verdun, France

American cemetery north of Verdun, Meuse, France. Covering some 40 hectares (100 acres) at Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Verdun, the American cemetery was dedicated in 1935 by the American Battle Monuments Commission. The commission was created in 1923 at the request of General Pershing, who had taken part in the American offensive of 1918. Its aim was to undertake architectural and landscape studies in order to restructure American cemeteries and commemorative monuments in Europe. Whereas the French army chose to build permanent cemeteries where temporary cemeteries had been made during the hostilities, the American army opted to create a single cemetery. Some 25,000 American tombs scattered around Verdun were then brought together at Romagne where, after almost half the bodies were repatriated to American soil, 14,246 soldiers have lain ever since.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/10/earth_from_above_comes_to_nyc.html

Asyut, Egypt

Modern graves in a cemetery at Asyut, Nile valley, Egypt. The idea of eternal life, so dear to the ancient Egyptians, is conveyed through a style of funerary architecture that stands the test of time. These tombs are divided into two sections, one representing the life of the deceased and the other containing the person's remains and the objects customarily regarded as making life in the hereafter more pleasant. The world of the living coexists with that of the dead, and cemeteries are close to towns. An Egyptian city of the dead can stretch over several miles and is laid out like a town, with a rich variety of open spaces and architecture.

Photos and text from boston.com Earth From Above Visit the site and see these beautiful pictures full screen at http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/10/earth_from_above_comes_to_nyc.html

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Visit the artist's Website at http://www.yannarthusbertrand.org/