3.18 The Beautification of Death MovementTlatilco- Joyce 2001- Large villageo Dead buried below, near houseso Kin groups (houses)o Lot of variability in grave goods; not correspond to achieved/ascribed statuso Female burial biographies Joyce uses emotional and “experimental” language Neutral description (info on which interpretation based) in footnotes, but shows that female burials are very important (discussed below)- Significant differences by age o Early teens Simple treatment (few grave goods) Girls (child status) – can’t have kids so unimportant socially Small tear in societyo Late teens & 20s Most elaborate treatment in burial Female fertile period, so most important social group in society – relationships among houses Large tear in society (loss of potential; fewer children are had and the lost possibility of tying houses together by marriage)o 30s, 40s Special treatment for some (probably important ancestors) Simple treatment for most Females here are old, already had children and established memory, so they do not need elaborate burial treatment Small tear in society- Social memory perspectiveo How funeral is experiencedo How deceased are remembered by survivors/societyo Tlatilco: Deathways highlight individuality (every grave is unique) and social identity Burial treatment expresses house wealth and “beautification”; a sensual social appeal at many levels- Adornment is a source of admiration and envy as it expresses house wealth; makes the deceased socially persuasive Burial treatment reflects “disruptive effects that death had on social relations of survivors” Social persona defined in terms of importance to houseo Ex. Burial 95 (elaborate) Abundance of grave goods Jade, shell, and iron-ore 19 pots and figurines Elaborately dressed hairo Ex. Burial 109 (simple) Older sister of burial 95 (therefore, her death was not as untimely because she was older) Much less elaborateMortuary Behavior in North America- Historical backgroundo The Puritans of New England had very strong beliefs about afterlife They believed that the moment of death = the moment of judgment forthe deceased Very simple funeral practices (because they felt like there was very little they could do for the soul after death)o By the end of the 17th century, they started to see a loss of someone as a community loss Differences were emerging between urban and rural areaso 19th century, there started to be a greater role given to death in the living world (this is when undertaking developed as a profession) The start of undertaking was simply carpenters and cabinetmakers adding funeral activities to their businesses Coffins originally were mere coffins, very plain; now are “caskets” which are more valuable, and more elaborately designed.  Caskets contain something valuable (i.e., the body is now seen as something valuable)o Gravestones also changed as a result Originally were simple skulls and crossbones carved into tombstones at first Eventually this turned into cherubs, which are seen as prettier, and eventually even whole tombs with statues and monumentso Changes in language Changed from “here lies the body of” to “in loving memory of”o Changes in landscape The surivivors want to see the dead in a serene, calm environment, so adding bushes and other landscaping adds to this scene- Literature argues that this change was the effect of Romanticism; this is debatable- In the 19th century, the dead became preciouso The concept of death became less and less accepted and it was beautifiedBeautification of Death- Increased sentimentality of death and afterlife- Elaborate funerary practices- Memorials to the dead20th century in the Literature- City life (urbanizationo Separated from familieso Led to the decline in the importance of familial and community ties- Bureaucratic specialization and high mobility- Advances in medical careo Elderly homes, better equipped hospitalso This makes death less visible in this era (death now happens at hospitals, not in the home)o Additionally, most deaths these days are caused by chronic illnesses, so the death is foreseeable; deaths are less likely to be sudden and a shock to society- Increasing secular outlooko More people believe in an afterlifeNOW- The language:o No longer a “funeral”, is now a “celebration of life”- Make up for the dead?o To make them look more attractive for the funeral- A new shift?o Return to 19th century practices? There was a claim that death became less visible in the 20th century because it was “too hard to think about,” but these days it is more visible to uso What might be the reason for the increase in the elaboration and sentimentality of death? Possibly not accepting that fact that they really are dead and not simply sleeping; a way of coping with the death for the