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General discussion

The Sedlec Ossuary, where human bones become art

Nov 25, 2003 1:37AM PST

Discussion is locked

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nt Fascinating, but grotesque.
Nov 25, 2003 9:10AM PST

.

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(NT) Bizarre !
Nov 25, 2003 7:14PM PST

.

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Re:The Sedlec Ossuary, where human bones become art
Nov 25, 2003 7:58PM PST

I'm missing something here. I don't get the point of doing this...especially a "Christian Chapel"?

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Re:why did they do it?
Nov 25, 2003 9:06PM PST

basically, i think it was a solution what to do with the bones they dug up to make room for new bodies.

jonah

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Re:Re:why did they do it?
Nov 26, 2003 1:16AM PST

That was along the lines of one of my thoughts, Jonah.

Also:

Christians for many centuries have honored the "relics" (such as pieces of bones) of saints, and still place such relics under altars when dedicating new church buildings, especially the patron saint of the particular church. I wonder if this has anything to do with it.

Paula

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Re:it's a possibility..
Nov 26, 2003 2:32AM PST

the article does say that he scattered earth from the holy land, so who knows what "powers" it gave to those buried there?

Happy

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Same at the Ossuary at Verdun
Nov 26, 2003 2:38AM PST

This is a frontal view of half of it. At the base of each tall visible window is a smaller window. Through these windows the bones of over 130,000 UNIDENTIFIED soldiers are arranged and displayed and more are found and added every year. The crosses are for the 570,000 identified buried here
http://www.tnovosel.org/greatwargraphics/The%20Ossuary.jpg

One side of ossuary showing the "smaller" windows http://w1.586.telia.com/~u58609152/ossuback.JPG

http://www.tnovosel.org/greatwargraphics/bonesatverdun.jpg

The "artistry" continues there in the Museum itself where a portion of the battlefield is enclosed and with the tranch

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Re:Same at the Ossuary at Verdun
Nov 26, 2003 2:55AM PST

the numbers are overwhelming...

i heard stories of WW1 from "uncles" when i was a kid, i guess it was only when i got older that i started to really understand what they went through...

thanks Ed, a somber reminder of who we owe a debt too i guess...