Page 13 - Graveyard

G r av e y ar d H u m o r | 11

a canoe. “On an island in the Columbia River there used to be quite a
collection of canoes with such freights; and Deadman’s Island, in Victoria
Harbour, is another place where many of the bodies are placed in canoes.”
It is likewise customary amongst the Tsunpsheans, the Takali, and
most of the Southern Oregonia and Californian tribes, to burn the body,
and either bury or hang up the ashes in the lodge: with the body is burnt
3
the deceased’s broken canoes, and such of his blankets as are not sold.

The Catacombs of Rome.
These subterraneous galleries are both singular and interesting, and offer
the most valuable sources of study both to the archaeologist and
theologian: here we learn the condition of the Christians in primitive
times. These underground galleries were used as Christian places of burial,
refuge, and worship from the end of the first century.
There are about sixty catacombs, the largest of which has twenty miles
of galleries, which branched off in every direction under the Campania.
Altogether there are about 500 miles of passages, containing about six
millions of graves. Some of the underground chambers were decorated
with coloured paintings, which gave interesting pictures of the system of
the catacombs—which were not used exclusively by Christians, but by
Jews and Pagans as well.
By a survey of these subterraneous passages we learn two great facts,
viz., that the ancient Christians left no evidence that they worshipped
martyrs or the Virgin Mary, or that they entertained the supremacy of the
Pope. It was customary for both Pagans and Christians to put the emblems
of their trade upon their tombs.

Inscriptions.
That inscriptions on sepulchres were used in early times may be inferred
th
th
from the 16 and 17 verses of the xxiii. chap, of 2 Kings. Amongst the
Greeks the honour of an inscription was only paid to the tomb of a hero.
The tombs of the Romans were usually situated on the highway, and
those who consecrated a tomb to their relations had the privilege of
writing thereon. Many of their epitaphs commenced with “Sta, viator!” to
attract the attention of passers-by, which expression is to this day imitated

3 For a fuller description of these customs see Dr. Robert Brown’s new and excellent work,
the Races of Mankind, pp. 107 to 111.