medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>From: Lars Hemmingsen <[log in to unmask]>
>traces to be found of beliefs that the first corpse buried in a cemetary
>did not decay; it was turned into the guardian of the cemetary; there are
>records of people who saw such guardians; they are generally described as
>stern-looking (similar beliefs have been recorded in Germany; they abound
>in tales of the plague (1440's) and plague cemetaries).
There are similar beliefs in Welsh folklore and (I think) Scottish, but
usually the guardian is the last corpse buried. These spirits are dangerous
because they cannot leave until another corpse arrives, so the concern is
that the spirits may try to help the process along by arranging the death of
one who wanders too close or violates some other rule. I would not hazard a
guess at the age of the beliefs, though, or to what extent they reflect
influence from other cultures/regions.
Francine Nicholson
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