Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Abbiategrasso Brain Bank Protocol for Collecting, Processing and Characterizing Aging Brains
Published on: June 3, 2020
[Death rituals: the southern Italy "secondary burials" in modern age]
1Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, I.
Abstract:
Some southern Italy funerary hypogeums of modern age were dedicated to a really original Death cult, characterized by a peculiar tomb structure organization: benches have been made out of the crypt's walls and there the corpses were placed in a sitting position up to their complete decomposition. Then, the bones were gathered up and guarded in ossuaries. In this way the death is not considered an "event at once" anymore, but a transition period marked by the decomposition process. Therefore the metamorphosis of the body becomes a metaphoric mirror of the soul voyage towards the Hereafter.
Related Concept Videos
Bonanno's Theory of Grieving
Resilience
The resilience...
Kubler Ross's Stages of Dying
In denial, individuals reject the reality of their condition, often thinking, "This isn't true; I feel fine," as a way to protect themselves from emotional distress. Anger...
Overview of Cell Death
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the 20th century...
Necrosis
Morphological Manifestations of Necrosis
Necrotic cells show different types of morphological appearance depending on the type of tissue and infection. In coagulative necrosis, cells become anucleated and die, but their...
Life Tables
Free-falling Bodies: Introduction

