Europe, Middle East, Africa
These resources about funeral customs in the Europe, the Middle East, and Africa should start your trek off quite well. Some annotated resources appear at the top and others are mentioned below. If you want more information please ask a librarian!
¤ Jereb, J. F. (1996). Ceremonies and
the celebration of life and death. In Arts and crafts of Morocco
(pp. 136-157). San
Francisco: Chronicle Books.
An exciting pictorial representation of Moroccan funeral arts. While Morocco is indeed in Africa it is but a few miles from Spain and being predominantly Islamic is shares common traditions with many nations of the Middle East. The photographs in Jereb's work provide insight into this melange of cultures.
¤ Rites of Passage: videocases of traditional African peoples. Watson, M.A., et al.. 1998. Videocassettes. Watson, M.A and Montgomery, S.
This two video tape independently produced set shows interviews of Kenyans as they discuss and celebrate the rituals that shape their lives. The funeral customs of the Kenyans in their villages are documented with the dance and song that accompany this final passage.
¤ Douglass, W. A. (1969). Death in Murélaga; funerary
ritual in a Spanish Basque village. Seattle:
University of Washington Press.
A mix of the traditional Catholic funeral rite, Spanish funeral traditions and age old Moorish customs shape the funerals in the Basque region of Spain.
¤ Feijo, R., Martins, H., & de Pina--Cabral, J. (Eds.).
(1983). Death in Portugal : studies in
Portuguese anthropology and modern history.
Oxfordshire: Oxford UP
A collection of scholarly manuscripts that show the changes in the funeral and death customs from old to modern times in Portugal. A bit laborious at times but the melding of old customs and newly established rituals demonstrated is fascinating not only to the anthropologist but to those interested in modern funerals.
¤ Chroscocki, J. A. (1974). Pompa funebris; z dziejów
kultury starpolskiej (K. Padrowieski, Trans.).
Warsaw: Panstwowe Wydawn.
This book, in Polish with English and Russian summaries, provides a revealing glimpse into the funeral customs of the Poles. Interesting to note is the omission of some previous religious customs in the descriptions of modern funeral rites in this Communist era book.
Other valuable resources include:
¤ Danforth, L. M. (1982). Death rituals of rural Greece. Princeton: Princeton UP.
¤ Kurtz, D. C., & Boardman, J. (1971). Greek burial customs. Ithaca, NY: Cornell UP.
¤ Jupp, P. C., & Howarth, G. (1997).
The
changing face of death : Historical accounts of death and
disposal.
New York: St. Martin's Press.
¤ Hallote, R. S. (2001). Death, burial,
and afterlife in the biblical world : how the Israelites and
their neighbors
treated the dead. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee.
¤ From life to life : death and mourning in the Jewish tradition.
Lamm, M., Rokeach, M., Chait, J.
1979. Videocassette. Alden Films
¤ Kosher, death, and marriage. Morris Anton Associates. 1989. Videocassette. Alden Films.
¤ Watson, C. B. (1930, May). Death and burial among the Yakoro
and Yache peoples of Ogoja Division of
southern Nigeria. Man, 30, 81-84.
¤ Milllikin, A. S. (1970, June). Burial Customs of the Wa-Kavirondo
in the Kisumu Province. Man, 6,
54-55.
¤ Wyoming Funeral Directors Association. (n.d.). History of
funeral customs. Retrieved November 27,
2002, from http://www.wyfda.org/basics_2.html
¤ Kselman, T. A. (1993). Death and afterlife in modern France. Princeton: Princeton UP.
¤ Gorer, G. (1977). Death, grief and mourning . New
York: Arno Press. (Originally published as Death, grief and
mourning in contemporary Britain,
1965, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday).
¤ Salman Al-Farsi Islamic Center. (1996). Authentic step by
step illustrated Janazah guide. Retrieved
February 19, 2004, from The Muslim
Shroud Web site:
http://www.muslimshroud.com/Janazah.html.