Hi Claire,
I am not sure if this is the distinction you need, but the medieval charnel house was more of a gallery of skeletons and skulls whereas I view the ossuary as more of an ornamental arrangement to honor and show reverence. According to DeSpelder's (The Last Dance)brief mention of charnel houses, "they were arcades and galleries where the bones of the dead were entrusted to the Church".
I teach a Death & Dying course at UNC Pembroke in North Carolina, USA. Your inquiry helped me in that I was not aware of Svankmayer's video of the Sedlec ossuary.
Sorry I could not be more helpful and thanks for the video reference.
Ottis
Ottis Murray
Department of Sociology, Social Work & Criminal Justice
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Pembroke, NC, USA 28372
-----Original Message-----
From: The Social Context of Death, Dying and Disposal
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Claire Barratt
Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2002 8:29 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: ossuary query
Dear listmembers,
I wonder whether anyone can tell me what the difference is between an ossuary and a charnel house? I'm assuming that a charnel house is more likely to be a building or vault and an ossuary could also be a container as well as a building, but my knowledge on this is rather sketchy.
I'd welcome any info or references on this area, or any examples of existing ones in England - at the moment I'm using the Svankmeyer video of the Sedlec ossuary and the English one in Hythe as examples for BA students in a lecture on places of disposal. I'd be very grateful for any advice.
Thanks,
Claire
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Claire Barratt
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Southampton Row
London WC1B 4AP
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