scholarly journals Fiery rituals among the Alanian population of the Saltov culture of the Seversky Donets Basin (based on materials from catacomb cemeteries)

Archaeology ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 28-38
Author(s):  
Victor Aksionov
Keyword(s):  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Donets Basin ◽  
Dominant Type ◽  
Dead Person ◽  
Funeral Rite ◽  
The People ◽  
Adverse Weather ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Dead ◽  
Chamber Floor

One of the typical features of the funeral rite of the Alanian population of the Saltov culture is the sprinkling of the burial chamber floor with a layer of charcoal. Paired (male + female) burials on coal bedding S. A. Pletneva considered as burials of couples in which coal was a symbol of “posthumous marriage”. The presence of coal bedding in solitary burials in the catacombs Nos. 6, 9, 11, 13, 17 of Rubizhan and the catacombs Nos. 1, 10 of the Staro-Saltov burial grounds allows us to offer a different interpretation of this feature of the Alanian funeral rite. At these cemeteries, the dominant type of burial structure was the catacombs with a longitudinal chamber in relation to the dromos, which were used by the Sarmatian-Alans often for one-time rather than family burials. Thus, taking into account ethnographic materials on Ossetians, it can be suggested that the initial sprinkling of charcoal on the floor of the burial chamber was associated with the rite of endowing the dead person with a “part of the family fire”, which was to ensure the unity of the dead people with their living relatives. In this context, the sprinkling of charcoal from the family hearth on the floor of the burial chamber should be considered as a desire to provide the deceased with the necessary heat and light, and thus turn the grave into a full-fledged otherworldly home, which, if necessary, could accept new deceased relatives. This assumption is confirmed by paired and collective burials at the Upper-Saltov burial ground, in which coal bedding was made only under one of the people buried in the chamber. At the same time, bodies of people were laid on the coal bedding, regardless of their gender (male, female) and age (children, adults). The use of charcoal to dry the chamber floor in adverse weather conditions before placing the bodies of a deceased person cannot be excluded.

scholarly journals In memory of Razafindrabe: a General Ethnography of the Astrologer’s Skill in West Bezanozano, Central East Madagascar

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-61
Author(s):  
Christel Mattheeuws
Keyword(s):  
Central Importance ◽  
Extended Families ◽  
The People ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Dead

Astrologers in Madagascar, in West Bezanozano in particular, play a very important role in building the fundaments of the land of extended families (they give the destiny of the family). They are also invited by individuals or families to lay the foundations of village, house, tomb, or memory stones for the dead, and last but not least to lead the famadihana, a ritual for the dead making them ancestors. This chapter follows the practices of astrologers in making the fundaments of villages, houses and tombs. Making fundaments is making as it were a living horoscope, giving places a suitable destiny in relation to the surroundings and the people concerned. I also followed an astrologer/mason who was in charge of crafting a particular memory stone. The memory stone had to deviate from a direct line between village and tomb caused by a mistake in the tomb building having killed two astrologers in their work. Finally, I presented the central importance of the astrologer during the ritual of the famadihana where the destinies of the dead and the living have to be mediated to protect the living from the dead. General speaking, a good astrologer will never become rich, since he has to hold not only good destinies but also bad ones. The work of an astrologer can be extremely dangerous since he deals with real forces. During difficult assignments, people offer him a cock that accompanies him during work since people believe that the cock will die before any human, also an astrologer.

scholarly journals NATA SANKIRTANA AND MANIPURI SOCIETY

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 476-480
Author(s):  
M.Thoiba Singh
Keyword(s):  
Classical Music ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Rhythmic Pattern ◽  
Dead Body ◽  
The People ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Dead ◽  
The Guardian ◽  
Society Today

The Nata Sankirtana style of singing which was introduced during the reign of Rajarshi Bhagyachandra (1763-1798 A.D.). The great masters and scholars of that period composed and sang the padavali strictly after the Bhagavata tradition and other major Vaishnavite text and based the composition also on the traditional Ragas and Raginis of classical music tradition. Modern research has discovered a lot of regional overtones in the architecture of the particular Ragas and Raginis. The Manipuris call the Nata Sankirtana singing their own and it is clearly a form of collective prayer, a Mahayajna as they call it, lasting for about 5 hours at a stretch with a lot of rituals, movements and rhythmic pattern, strictly after the vaishnavite faith. Nata Sankirtana is a composite version of music, dance and tala; a Sangeet in the true sense of the term. It is also Drishya Kavya, a poem made visible. Nata Sankirtan is a very important aspect in the lives of the people in Manipur. It is because when our end is near, people listen to Hari-naam to relieve us from all the wrong doings that we have done before, so that we die peacefully. After death the family members would take the dead body for the last rites. In the shraddha ceremony, the Nat Sankirtana will start with raga. Before the invocation of the god and prayers start, Pinda- dan cannot be offered. After offering the Pindadan, the owner of the ceremony will have a bath and wear washed clothes. He will then come and offer his respects towards the end of the Sankirtan when Raga Bijay is being performed. The Shraddha ceremony comes to an end with the guardian of the Mandap sending the departed soul to beikuntha dham.  In case of any death in a house, Naam Sankirtana plays an important role. In the ten days of mourning or Dashahan, the ritual will start with Naam Sankirtana and other rituals like reading Shrimad Bhagavat Gita will follow. The particular person who mourns, known as the Gira thangba, will only offer Pindadan after the Sankirtana starts. Even in asti sanchai or the ritual of picking up the remains from the grave, Sankirtana is performed along with Parikrama around the Hari mandir. In this manner,for Meitei Vaishnavites living in the society today, Nat Sankirtana Mahayajna was become an indispensable event in the lives of the people since time immemorial. In short, Nata Sankirtana is the only highest karma for the Meitei society. This paper attempts to understand the important role of Nata Sankirtana in Manipuri society.

scholarly journals A Conceptual Framework for the Integrated, Smart and Secure Remote Public Voting System (SSRPVS)

2020 ◽  
pp. 318-334
Author(s):  
Vinaya chandra ◽  
Geetha Poornima K. ◽  
Rajeshwari M. ◽  
Krishna Prasad K.
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
The People ◽  
Metropolitan Cities ◽  
Election Process ◽  
Adverse Weather ◽  
Voting System ◽  
One Time Password

Elections are the backbone of democracy. It is through elections that individuals assert their voice, their perspectives, and choose a person whose philosophies most complement them. Elections allow citizens to choose their representatives. They are also important for the people to express their resentment at the ruling government. When there is high voter participation, the election process is considered successful. Unfortunately, developing countries such as India are facing a decline in the turnout. People in rural areas move to metropolitan cities or other countries, in most developing countries to make their livelihood or schooling. During elections, visiting their hometown and casting their votes becomes burdensome for them because of their commitment to their workplace. Challenges in moving to poll places and sometimes adverse weather conditions, cause people to miss the chance to choose the candidate of their choice. People with disabilities and senior citizens also refuse to go to the polling station due to travel-related difficulty. Therefore, many elections record only 50-70 percent electoral turnout, sometimes, even less than 50%. Only when all eligible voters are granted fair opportunities to exercise their franchise then only such a democratic system is considered fool proof. The need for the hour is such a fool proof framework that enables all eligible voters to cast their vote by visiting Polling Station or doing so remotely. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for the Integrated, Smart, and Secure Remote Public Voting System (SSRPVS) that allows voters from any part of India to exercise their franchise without moving place to place and wasting time and money. To develop the Framework, emerging technologies such as IoT, Cloud Computing, Edge Computing, Blockchain, and Data Analytics are included. The system will guarantee security through four different levels, Smart Voting Card based on RFID, One Time Password, Thumb Recognition, and Retina Recognition. The only theoretical model of the system that is open for further analysis and development is provided here.

scholarly journals «BLUSHER» FOR THE DEAD (the Results of Research of Mineral Artefacts from Zolota Balka Graves)

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-167
Author(s):  
V. A. Nesterovskyi ◽  
O. S. Dzneladze ◽  
S. A. Gorbanenko ◽  
O. V. Andrieiev
Keyword(s):  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
Toxic Substance ◽  
Burial Ground ◽  
Arsenic Sulfide ◽  
Funeral Rite ◽  
The Family ◽  
Orange Colour ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Dead ◽  
Organic Remains

The results of the studies of mineral artefacts from the graves of the Late Scythian burial ground of Zolota Balka were introduced into scientific circulation. At this site, 87 graves were excavated; in 10 of them mineral artefacts were identified. The latter one is the object of this study, while their significance and role in the funeral rite is the subject. Analytical studies revealed that the vast majority of the mineral substances of red-orange colour is realgar (arsenic sulfide). It is a toxic substance with a detrimental effect on the organisms. Its deposits in Ukraine are unknown. There is an opinion in the archaeological literature that realgar was placed in burials because of the colour of this mineral. However, a similar colour is inherent in ochre, which is much easier to find in the surroundings. Taking into account the properties of realgar and given the need to deliver it from afar, we consider that it was used as a preservative for better storage of organic remains in the graves and for less reproduction of pathogenic flora within the family crypts, where later the dead would be buried again.

scholarly journals Living Among the Dead in the Manila North Cemetery: A Cartographic Re-Imagination

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Patricia O. Algura
Keyword(s):  
Urban Life ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Stained Glass ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
The People ◽  
The Family ◽  
Mother And Child ◽  
Research Interviews ◽  
The Dead ◽  
The City

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> Cemeteries are often regarded as left behind landscapes: scary and lifeless, abandoned and forgotten. Despite this derelict image, residents of Manila North Cemetery are living and co-existing in tombs and mausoleums. They celebrate life and live behind the shadows of those who have passed on. The maps present the unseen life in the spaces of the cemetery. Behind the dark and shadows of the departed are faces of people with bright smiles and with inspiring dreams. Through ethnographic research, interviews and observations were conducted to uncover and recover stories of life and experiences that were used as the basis, foundation, and inspiration of the maps. Using the actual map of the cemetery, a series of maps were realized to portray stained-glass images of mother and child, Mother Mary, and angel, where colors represent the vibrant life and the promise of afterlife in the cemetery.</p><p>These maps tell a whole different story, giving light to the life rather than the dead. The Mother and child map shows how adults in the cemetery are doting parents and siblings. Elders were responsible for providing the needs and nourishing the family. As part of the Philippine culture, Filipinos are family-oriented, and they tend to remain close to their families even if the child is grown up - gainfully employed or has married. The portrait of Mother Mary symbolizes Filipinos’ Christian faith. The smiles on faces are evidences of hope and faith. Living in what society considers an undesirable disposition, the people are determined and always hopeful for tomorrow. The departed are depicted as the angel, as it shows how the living and the dead are at peace and coexisting in the same environment. We, as outsiders, often hear about ghosts, horror stories, and consider cemeteries as haunted, but these events and stories are uncommon to the residents. They had established a relationship with the place and those around it. For them, the cemetery is not merely a place, but a place they call home.</p><p>The maps demonstrate that the living and the dead can co-exist in the same space rather than separated. These cartographic works are interventions to depict, portray, and represent urban life that exist in the peripheries of the city of Manila.</p>

Posthumous interest in the גאל הדם‎ legal tradition

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 509-524
Author(s):  
Kathryn Imray
Keyword(s):  
Legal Tradition ◽  
Dead Person ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Dead ◽  
Posthumous Interests

Scholarly reasons for the existence of the גאל הדם‎ institution tend to pool around the interests of three parties: the family or clan of the dead person, the Israelite people en masse, and the land those people possess. There is, however, another party with an interest in the death of the murderer, and that is the murdered person. To suggest that the dead have an interest in the execution of their killer is to argue for a belief in posthumous interests, a position here defended with reference to Israelite interment practice, and to Mesopotamian and Israelite beliefs about the dead and the violently dead.

A tanítványok ördögűzési, halottfeltámasztási szolgálata és szenvedése

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-68
Author(s):  
Lehel Lészai
Keyword(s):  
Early Church ◽  
Synoptic Gospels ◽  
John The Baptist ◽  
The People ◽  
The Family ◽  
Form Part ◽  
The Future ◽  
Resurrection Of The Dead ◽  
The Dead ◽  
Book Of Acts

"The Disciples’ Ministry of Exorcism, Resurrection of the Dead, and Suffering. Service meant exorcism besides preaching and healing. According to Mk 3:15, Jesus calls his disciples so that they would be with him, preach the gospel, and exorcise demons. The authority of the disciples over unclean spirits (Mk 6:7) refers to their sharing in Jesus’s mission (Mk 1:22.23.27). Exorcism promoted the expending of God’s kingdom and the weakening of Satan’s power. In Mk 6:7, Jesus mentions exorcism as a concrete task for his disciples, what was fulfilled by them (6:7). We can learn from Mt 9:8 and 10:1 that the disciples were entrusted with power to cast out demons. Lk 9:1 mentions the same command. According to the report of Luke, the seventy(-two) disciples cast out demons too, although they did not receive explicit command for this in 10:9. Matthew is the only one who mentions that Jesus ordered his disciples to raise the dead (Mt 10:8). Thus, this belonged to the ministry too. The synoptic gospels do not mention anywhere that the disciples would carry out this command. But several reports mention that Jesus raised people from the dead. He answered the question that John the Baptist transmitted by his disciples by saying that the dead are raised up (Mt 11:5), so he truly carried this out as well. Some congregations of the early church had some difficulties with this command. The book of Acts reports in two cases that the disciples used this exceptional gift (Acts 9:36ff and 20:7ff). In order that the possession of this important power would not cause them any harm, when using this gift, the disciples were to ask nothing in return. Service is connected with suffering because mission supposes both. Jesus came to serve and suffer among the people, which is why he prepares his disciples for the future suffering. The disciples do share in Jesus’s mission, in his power and his authority, but in his destiny too. Following includes breaking with the family and profession, giving up the possessions, homelessness, self-denial, bearing the cross, persecution, and suffering. Mark’s congregation was persecuted. Therefore, it was a consolation for them that Jesus had suffered earlier and finished victoriously the battle against death. Jesus did not conceal the reality from his disciples and warned them that they had to flee too, they might be whipped and some of them might be executed because all of these form part of the mission. To follow him did not mean to study the Torah under his direction but to identify with his suffering. Keywords: disciple, exorcism, resurrection, suffering "

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