The Corpse: A History

Throughout the centuries, different cultures have established a variety of procedures for handling and disposing of corpses. Often the methods are directly associated with the deceased's position in life, such as a pharaoh's mummification in Egypt or the cremation of a Buddhist. Treatment by the living of the dead over time and across cultures is the focus of this study. Burial arrangements and preparations are detailed, including embalming, the funeral service, storage and transport of the body, and forms of burial. Autopsies and the investigative process of causes of deliberate death are fully covered. Preservation techniques such as cryonic suspension and mummification are discussed, as well as a look at the "recycling" of the corpse through organ donation, donation to medicine, animal scavengers, cannibalism, and, of course, natural decay and decomposition. Mistreatments of a corpse are also covered.

Author: Christine Quigley
Publisher: McFarland & Company
Published: 10/13/2005
Pages: 368
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.11lbs
Size: 9.08h x 6.02w x 0.80d
ISBN13: 9780786424498
ISBN10: 0786424494
BISAC Categories:
- Social Science | Death & Dying
- Family & Relationships | Death, Grief, Bereavement
- Social Science | Popular Culture

About the Author
The late Christine Quigley authored books and articles, wrote an eclectic blog called Quigley's Cabinet and reviewed books for Fortean Times.