Comments on: Comments on 16495

Post number 16495

fidelity — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 02:51:44 -0800

The Ossuary in Sedlec in the Czech Republic is a chapel, built around 1511, decorated in 1870 by a local woodcutter. His material? Human bones.

By: gutenberg

gutenberg — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 04:05:51 -0800

The great Czech filmmaker Jan Svankmajer made a short movie about the Sedlec Ossuary. Some versions have a tour guide talking throughout but Svankmajer intended it to be shown with his own soundtrack—part jazz, part Jacques Prevert poem. The weird combination of upbeat music and strange poetry make the church of bones even creepier than it already is. My video store doesn't have any Svankmajer, but I think I've almost convinced them to get some. If you're not familiar with his surreal and disturbing work, consider watching "Ossuary" or his equally powerful "Jabberwocky."

By: gleemax

gleemax — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 04:07:19 -0800

It has a certain rustic charm about it, sure, but who has time to clean all those bones? I'm scared of the living dead if the window behind me is open. I'm sure the human remains scattered about would be comforting in times of spiritual crisis.

By: MeetMegan

MeetMegan — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 06:39:44 -0800

Where'd he get all the bones?

By: MeetMegan

MeetMegan — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 06:43:50 -0800

Oh, nevermind. Mental note: read the whole freaking site before posting a comment.

By: Danf

Danf — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 08:05:23 -0800

I'm wondering if Abbot Henry has been recently reborn as Amy Hughes.

By: kablam

kablam — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 08:17:20 -0800

If you think about it, except for the work of this woodcutter, these bones would have long since disintigrated, and with them, *any* trace of the people themselves. Think about it, if you were a high-school student in the year 2250, would you give two hoots about the people living today, unless you were mildly freaked out by their remains? I mean, call it a last laugh. "Yesiree, I've been giving nightmares to high school kids longer than Freddie!" Since you're dead anyway, what do you care? Maybe some artist will make a Geiger-like 3-D thingy out of you that will end up in the MET. Cool for a thousand years.

By: protocool

protocool — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 08:19:48 -0800

I'm the 35th visitor that site's ever had since 1997.

By: protocool

protocool — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 08:25:27 -0800

In fact it's looking like the site has recieved more hits in the last five minutes than in its entire five year life span.

By: MeetMegan

MeetMegan — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 08:32:10 -0800

That's okay, protocool. I'm visitor 9.

By: Kafkaesque

Kafkaesque — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 09:23:23 -0800

There's also the Capuchin Church Santa Maria della Concezione in the Via Veneto in Italy made of the bones of departed brothers. Bill Bryson had a great bit about that place, like it must have been unnerving when you'd get a cold and they'd start measuring your femur for a window frame. Sorry if they mentioned this in the original link, but it seemns to be down now.

By: yhbc

yhbc — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 09:25:56 -0800

The counter is wrong. His guestbook goes back to 1996, and it's full.

By: Geo

Geo — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 09:57:29 -0800

A few years ago, I visited the chapel in Portugal built by monks from the bones of their departed brothers in order to remind themselves of their mortality. Stephen King would have been proud. I can see why it would also make a good movie set.

By: fidelity

fidelity — Fri, 19 Apr 2002 13:41:35 -0800

S o m e p i c t u r e s of the Capela dos Ossos that Geo mentioned. (Where's Miguel to tell us more about this thing?)