The Moai of Easter Island

When I was quite young, before learning anything about archaeology and anthropology, large monuments created by ancient people baffled me. How could these amazing things be created by people who are less advanced than we are now? How did they carve stone and build mounds without modern tools?


I have since learned that (obviously) ancient people were not "dumb", and that I should never doubt the power of time and powerful leaders to get stuff done. Case in point: the Moai of Easter Island. As I learned from PBS, 887 of these stone monuments were made, with the largest statue standing at nearly 72 feet tall. I would love to be able to see these Moai in person to be able to grasp how enormous these things are. I think that when you have the opportunity to see a massive monument, things are put into perspective. The thought of the sheer size and the time investment that must have been put into the Moai makes me feel humbled, and reminds me that there is so much more to existence than our modern tools and buildings.

Source

Alternative Funerary Practices

It has never crossed my mind that there would be alternatives to the standard funerary practices. After we discussed "green" burials yesterday in class, I was intrigued and almost relieved that we may not have to be pin-holed into one or two ways of disposing our bodies after death. 

This is why, after watching Jae Rhim Lee's TED talk about mushroom burials, I was floored! This is genius! Her talk really raised my awareness about how cremation can be detrimental for the environment, as well as how many nasty chemicals are being pumped into the bodies of the deceased. She also brought up an interesting point which has kept me thinking since I watched the video: the way that our culture uses formaldehyde and other preservatives as well as makeup to preserve and present bodies is a testament to our denial of death. How can our funerary methods help us to come to terms with the fact that we're dying? It's hard to think of dying (understatement of the century?). There is no doubt about that. But, somehow, I feel more at peace knowing that there are natural options available and that even more are likely being created (such is the case with Jae Rhim Lee). It is a pleasant thought for me to think that my dead body can go through it's natural processes of decomposing, and be fed back into the earth. 

After watching the video, I did a little research. I came across many inventive ways to use human ashes. Unfortunately these methods do not provide alternatives to cremation itself, however they still are interesting. One that caught my eye was a company called Eternal Reefs , which blends human ashes into reef balls. These reef balls are then lowered into the sea and provide habitat for many coral reefs and fish, therefore enriching the ecosystem. I think that this is a really neat and symbolic idea, and the way that they phrase it on their website really sums it up nicely: "We believe that the greatest celebration of life is to provide the opportunity for new life."

                                       Source: http://www.eternalreefs.com/about/gallery.html

Relating to the people we're reading about

One of the reasons that I like archaeology and anthropology is because it gives us a chance to learn more about others from the past and apply these learnings to our own lives. Usually, it is quite easy to draw comparisons between what we study and ourselves, but other times it seems almost impossible.
Reading "Funeral of a Rus' " this week really got me thinking about this. I feel like it is so hard to relate to the people and actions described in the reading. Why on earth would they kill horses, a rooster, hens and slave girl in the most gruesome fashion? Assuming that the account given by Ibn Fadland is true and accurate, I feel like these people are a different species from myself and the people I know today.
I know that it can be unfair to judge other people's actions if you aren't in the same frame of mind as they are. It is impossible to know the exact motives and reasonings of a culture unless you have lived in the culture yourself.
Still, I can't help but attempt to draw comparisons between myself and what I'm learning. I guess with a perspective like mine, I have to accept that I'll be surprised and challenged in my effort to see how we're all connected.

Introduction

Hello ANTH 392 classmates! I have to admit that I'm not all that savvy when it comes to blogs, although I do read one or two on a constant basis. I never really envisioned having a blog of my own, but now I do... and it's about death, nonetheless! It's been nice reading many people's comments and knowing that I'm not the only "newbie" to the blogging world. It will be a new adventure for many of us!


I'm currently in my third year, although it is my first at Uvic. I'm a visiting student from the University of Calgary, and I'm doing a BSc in Anthropology (focus in primatology) and a minor in Biology. I love Victoria (it's like one, huge outdoor playground!) and so far I have been delighted with all the courses I have taken here.


I look forward to enjoying this course and getting to know many of you!

I am very interested in primatology. What's not to love! Source