Kaori finally managed to pull ourselves out of Merida, with which we had quickly become enamored, and got on a bus to Campeche. But not before heading to the cemetery, though. Edwin, the proprietor of our hostel, was a bit shocked when I asked how to get to the cemetery--apparently, I was the first to ever do so. However, he was quick to boast that Merida's beautiful cemetery was second only to one which he had visited in Rome.
Kaori was quite surprised when she first set her eyes on the brightly colored graves, many of which resembled small houses or churches, continuing far off into the distance. I had seen a similarly brilliant, though significantly smaller, cemetery from the bus window outside Valladolid, but was equally enamored.
The graves, some of which were independently standing units and some of which were connected at the base with those next to them, are all above ground. A good indication that cremation is the norm. A better indication was a peek into the back of a tomb which had lost it's back door--human bones.
Visible in a vast majority of the graves were gray tin boxes (most likely holding remains) behind a locked gate and often candles and an image of Guadalupe. Resting in front or on top are the names of the deceased as if written on a book, perhaps a representation of "the book" of names at the gate to heaven?
The general construction of the graves in Merida mirrored what I had seen in Japan, with lanterns or stone vases for flowers on the left and right and the remains of entire families stored in individual containers in the center behind door of some kind. See an example of a typical Japanese grave below.
Needless to say, I found the cemetery quite interesting. I hope you did, too.
Kaori was quite surprised when she first set her eyes on the brightly colored graves, many of which resembled small houses or churches, continuing far off into the distance. I had seen a similarly brilliant, though significantly smaller, cemetery from the bus window outside Valladolid, but was equally enamored.
The graves, some of which were independently standing units and some of which were connected at the base with those next to them, are all above ground. A good indication that cremation is the norm. A better indication was a peek into the back of a tomb which had lost it's back door--human bones.
Visible in a vast majority of the graves were gray tin boxes (most likely holding remains) behind a locked gate and often candles and an image of Guadalupe. Resting in front or on top are the names of the deceased as if written on a book, perhaps a representation of "the book" of names at the gate to heaven?
The general construction of the graves in Merida mirrored what I had seen in Japan, with lanterns or stone vases for flowers on the left and right and the remains of entire families stored in individual containers in the center behind door of some kind. See an example of a typical Japanese grave below.
Needless to say, I found the cemetery quite interesting. I hope you did, too.
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