Graveyards & graves

LeadSister · Dec 2, 2005

LaFoto... I'm amazed by that cemetary! I've never seen one so jumbled up like that before. Is there some kind of history behind it? Reason why they are so close like that? I'd be really interested in knowing if you happen to know. Either post here or PM me.

Great shots!
Pamela

LaFoto · Dec 2, 2005

No prob. What I learned way back then was that this cemetary is ancient, and graves have in the course of time put above older graves. Just so to save space. The old gravestones, however, were never removed. Just a new one put up for the "new" grave (none of these are new by our standards any more, mind, or were new in 1977 - I don't know what this cemetary looks like today, 28 years later). So after a while, a jumble of graves and gravestones came together. Well, that is what I heard way back then.

LeadSister · Dec 3, 2005

Thanks for letting me know. Certainly interesting. Is that next to a church? What kind of building is that? That's my last question that I meant to ask. LOL

Pamela

LaFoto · Dec 3, 2005

If only I remembered. Might be the synagogue, though I believe to have seen the synagogue on the opposite of the street from the entrance to the cemetary. So, actually, sorry, I don't know...

jocose · Dec 9, 2005

I haven't been to prague yet, but I would venture to say that it's NOT a synagogue. We traditionally bury our dead outside the city limits. Now, back then, the ghettos were pretty small, and it wasn't like the Jews could just say, "Hey mind if we leave the ghetto and go to the end of the city to bury Moshe?" So it's possible, but I would bet that it's not.

There you go....my $0.02, or ¥2.41.

Oh, and here's my contribution:

LaFoto · Dec 9, 2005

jocose said:
I haven't been to prague yet, but I would venture to say that it's NOT a synagogue.

Yes, as I was saying: I actually believe that the synagoge was on the other side of the street, so there was at least a STREET between the synagoge and the cemetary. I don't think it bordered right on it. (I understood only little of things way back then, though :roll: ).

jocose · Dec 9, 2005

LaFoto, I am going out on a limb and assuming that you are not a member of the Tribe

Judaism is a very fascinating and bizarre religion/way of life. I am Jewish, both of my parents are as well, and I've had many unique opportunities to learn way more about my religion than I really ever thought that I would want to know. As I said, it's a fascinating religion, and much of it just doesn't make sense on the surface (and truthfuly even when you delve into it, some of it still doesn't make a whole lotta sense).

But, the tradition of burying the dead outside the city limits I'm sure comes from several sources. One, like all nomadic peoples, and all ancient peoples, Jews have their own set of superstitions. Pretty much across the board everyone is afraid of their dead and will do some radical things to ensure that the departed are happy and content, and deep in the ground where they won't be able to come back and bother you! (Think Irish wakes or Egyptians burying treasure with the dead.)

Two, it's a basic health issue. If you are living amongst your dead, disease, odor, and the unghastly sight of decaying parents will not be good for the whole of the community.

We are a very sensible and practical people. And in the middle ages, we were a very hygenic people (not to say we aren't anymore, but we were more so then others at that time--it's actually what spared the Jews the brunt of the Plague--but of course since we were clean and buried our dead outside the city we didn't get the Plague and of course the Church came to the logical conclusion that we were in league with the devil and it was all our fault. Very smart, logical thinking that).

Anyway, there you go...did I ramble on too much?

If anyone else in interested in listening to me ramble, please feel free to start a thread in the off topic forum so we don't have to take over this one.

We now return you to your regularily scheduled thread...

tmpadmin · Dec 10, 2005

One I saw the other day.

JonMikal · Dec 10, 2005

two from the past

dirtnapper · Dec 14, 2005

Here is another I had from this summer;

Chiller · Dec 14, 2005

Man..I have not been over here for a while. There are some schmokin shots here.
LaFoto...that cemetery in your shots is just killer. I would love to see that in person. Man...there is no room left there at all eh?
tmpadmin...classic. Thats a funny one.
Jon..something about the simplicity of that second shot that I love.

digital flower · Dec 14, 2005

Indian Graveyard at Taos Pueblo
Oct. '05

Peanuts · Dec 14, 2005

You know.. I wouldn't have thought I would say this.. but this is a very interesting thread!

Pictures of different places, views and ages depict different cultures and traditions etc, and how those pictures were taken makes each even more unique!

By the way Jocose, thanks for taking the time to type that all up and share.

Chiller · Dec 14, 2005

Since cemeteries are one of my favorite places to take photos, I am amazed at what I have seen . Everything from vandalism, to the most awesome looking stones. This is one grave I found in Memphis, where at the end of a long driveway, people have turned the cemetery into a dumping ground for garbage. This is an older cemetery that is not maintained, so people are just taking advantage of that.