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Eldar Kadymov | all galleries >> Galleries >> Discovering Mystique Peru > Catacombs In St. Francisco Cathedral, Lima
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26-MAY-2007

Catacombs In St. Francisco Cathedral, Lima

The catacombs, or public cemetery, is network of underground passages and labyrinths where slaves, servants, and others without money were buried until 1821 (rich citizens were usually buried in their home chapels). Some wells are 20 meters deep, where bodies were stacked and covered with lime to reduce odor and disease. After they decomposed, the bones were stacked elsewhere.


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Michael Weinberg19-Jun-2007 09:47
Hello Eldar. Not exactly perfect material for the living room, but surely this photo belongs in a text book of arts and crafts, and fun and games.... after all, it should be clear (it is clear to me) that these boney souls are extremely well organized and are surely having, in retirement, the time of their lives. Intriguing work. Michael.
Eldar Kadymov18-Jun-2007 20:53
Why they collected/buried corps and bones in Cathedral is unresolved mystery, I am sure those days monks had very strange sense of humor. Plus, they just piled them in absolutely disorderly fashion... Yet, at the turn of the last century archologists took this remarkable undertaken and arranged them in chambers just the way you see them....
Ann Cleeves17-Jun-2007 14:20
Is this because there is/was limited burial space...or another reason? Interesting artistic display from rather macabre material