La thanatopraxie historique

Abstract

What is thanatopraxis ? This word, which for some is merely a technical term, but for others designates something barbaric or is even unknown to them, covers a range of medical funeral procedures, often of a religious nature and including the most ancient rites in the history of all humanity. However, both the term itself and the science behind it are relatively recent, the latter dating back to the 19th century, while the former came into common usage in the 1960s. Everyone knows about Egyptian mummies and most of us wonder at their remarkable state of conservation. The miracle of their preservation is the work of skilled embalmers, working millennia ago on the banks of the Nile. Many are also aware that the world's most ancient mummies are to be found in South America, and that those best conserved are in China. One might ask why thanatopraxis was not used throughout the Middle Ages, despite the fact that people during this period held conserved relics in high regard and worshipped them unfailingly. Since time immemorial, mankind has sought ways of helping not only the soul but also the flesh to continue to exist. Vanity of vanities, some might say, but a number of religious beliefs give prime importance to the immortality of the corpse and not just the soul. Other belief systems, however, refuse, or at least for centuries have refused, that any attention be paid to conserving our mortal remains, for all flesh shall perish and return to dust. Despite this, care has always been provided for the deceased, out of respect, love and social convention. Much can be learnt about such rituals, by looking into their origins and, for example, how corpses have been cleaned and preserved down the centuries. The last offices came into common practice in the transitional period between prehistory and antiquity and are still administered in almost every society around the world today. This historical journey will lead us to examine the clandestine work of the Renaissance anatomists and that, more fully documented, of the hygienists of the Industrial Revolution. While thanatopractioners today are conscious of the debt they owe to their predecessors, the general public is not so keenly aware that thanatopraxis is both a science and an art, promoting the development of medicine, cosmetology, chemistry, herbalism, tools and equipment, the growing of some agricultural crops, trade etc. Exploring the question of death means embarking on a spiritual journey. Examining the question of our mortal remains, and the story of their future after death, is a journey through the history of science and the beliefs of humankind.