Archive for April, 2007

Safety First

April 16th, 2007

One might think that graving is a relatively safe hobby. After all, who is going to cause you harm in such a sacred place, and what type of criminal would be lurking around a graveyard anyway?

In fact, graving is no different than any other hobby or activity that places you out in public - often alone. The same precautions you take when jogging, for example, you should take when graving. Always be aware of your surroundings and keep a cell phone on you. It isn't a bad idea to carry a bottle of pepper spray or mace on your person as well.

I speak from experience. Most cemeteries - especially older ones - are surrounded by urban or suburban sprawl. The neighborhoods around some may have fallen into the category of "bad". My mother and I were recently being watched while at a local cemetery, and then followed in our vehicle by two young men. At another cemetery the same day, a man was watching us from behind some bushes.

Though the second man was likely only curious, the two previous young men had trouble in mind. They watched us from their home across the street, they drove into the cemetery and parked by our car - getting out and talking to friends over the fence. Then, when we left they - waiting in their truck which they'd driven back to their home - followed us. When I turned around in my seat and they saw that I was aware they were following, they slammed on their brakes and pulled off on the side of the road. We took an alternate route and arrived home, only to see them flying by a little while later - looking for us (thankfully they weren't looking to the left or right, but only ahead).

The serenity and sacredness of a cemetery makes it appear to be a safe haven from the worries of the outside world - unfortunately, in this day and age, that just simply isn't true. Be safe when out graving, and - if possible - take someone with you. As much as we all love cemeteries, none of us are eager to become a permanent resident of one!

Secrets of New Orleans Burials

April 10th, 2007

Growing up in southern Louisiana, I never thought to question our traditions of above-ground burial or the methods in which multiple family members were interred in a seemingly small crypt. These were common things; burial customs that were accepted and understood by nearly everyone.

I have since learned that it is not quite so common in the rest of the country; indeed, our customs of entombment are the cause of intrigue and speculation for many tourists. I am frequently asked - and tour guides are constantly explaining - the whys and hows of southern, and mostly New Orleans, burials.

Perhaps I can help shed some light on things.

Yes, the great city of New Orleans is - and always has been - below sea level; something the world learned quickly after Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans and it's low-lying, surrounding areas are prone to flooding, as they always have been. It is, indeed, one reason for above-ground burial. Flooding can bring a below-ground coffin floating to the surface; I have seen it with my own eyes after Hurricane Andrew's visit to my hometown.

It isn't the only reason, though; a tidbit some tourists neglect to inform their tour groups. It's not that it's some big secret; just that the idea of a flooded cemetery with coffins bobbing about and rotting bodies possibly floating around provides a much more thrilling tale than the whole truth. The fact of the matter is, though, that above-ground burial was a tradition brought over from France and Spain; where the majority of New Orleanians and their ancestors had come from.

That's all fine and dandy, you say, but how do they fit entire families into a two-vault tomb?! The answer might surprise you in its simplicity.

Nearly all above-ground crypts, vaults, private mausoleums, and tombs have a "niche" (sometimes even a bag) - usually towards the back - where the remains of those that have gone before can be swept to make room for new occupants.

Bodies decompose rapidly in the sub-tropical heat of southern Louisiana, enclosed in brick and cement as they are. Still, there is a time limit - a set local ordinance - that has to pass between the opening and re-sealing of a grave. The limit is two years.

To give you an example, let's say Aunt Jane passes peacefully in her sleep and is buried in the family crypt in Lafayette Cemetery. Then, six months later, her sister, Aunt June, passes. June is to be buried in the family crypt as well - but it can't be re-opened for another year and a half. Aunt June would actually be put into a temporary "holding" vault - most cemeteries there have them - until the two-year limit has expired. After the two years, the family crypt would be opened and room made for Aunt June - who would then be moved into her permanent final residence.

It's actually quite an economical way of doing things, if you ask me. As the number of occupants grow, these types of cemeteries have no need for more land to accommodate their ever-growing number of dead; almost a necessity in small, urban areas with little room for further growth like New Orleans.

For me, knowing the truth of these burial customs doesn't dispel the mystery in the least; in fact, it makes it all the more intriguing.

Basking In the Sun

April 9th, 2007


What you see here is, indeed, a coffin; a very old one.

There is no longer any legible marker to tell us who the occupant of this centuries old cast-iron casket is. All that I can tell you about it is that it has sat - basking in the light of day - for over fifteen years or longer. When this coffin was originally entombed is still a mystery, but some of the graves in this cemetery date back to the mid-1800's.

It would seem vandalism would have taken place over such a long period - and perhaps, there have been reckless youths that desired a peek inside. Yet there is really nothing to fear; even a very strong man would find it difficult - if not impossible - to pull that casket the rest of the way out of it's tomb.

It is made of heavy cast-iron. Though the feet area is seemingly too small to hold an adult's feet, the length of the casket, which can be seen when you peer down into the depths of the tomb, indicate this is an adult's grave.

The flash on my camera briefly illuminated the the dank darkness of the vault, and I snapped what appears to be a white cross, porcelain I am guessing, near the head of the casket. Unfortunately, it does not appear to be one of the infamous cast-iron caskets with a glass head so that the deceased person's face was visible.

The tomb itself is a waist-high, double-vaulted brick abode; the ground itself provides the flooring for the crypt. The adjacent vault, to the right of this one, is still securely sealed; the front of this one crumbled at some time in the distant past and has never been repaired.

My aunt - a local of the town where this cemetery exists - and I are trying to track down the cemetery records. It isn't a Catholic cemetery; in fact, it is one shared by a number of Protestant denominations in the area - so records aren't as readily available, or as detailed, as one might hope.

Once - and if - we learn more, I'll post it here.

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