14 HUMAN DISSECTION. ITS DRAMA AND STRUGGLE 



curred during this interval, which might be shorter in tropical 

 climates for obvious reasons. By degrees, as the time passed, the 

 primitive became reassured that the ghost's power had waned. 

 Whether the funeral ceremonies were prolonged or not depended 

 upon the dead man himself; if it was judged that he was instru- 

 mental in bringing all good things to his earthly survivors, the 

 burial ceremonies were extended. By contrast, if nothing mate- 

 rialized in this respect, the memory of the dead was soon erased 

 and people could go about their business as usual. An example 

 of this, was that the marital partner of the deceased could remarry. 



In respect to an afterlife, it was a natural development to 

 think in terms of a home for departed ghosts. The choice of such 

 an abode rested between heaven and earth. A spot beneath the 

 surface of the ground, associated with a fiery hell, was popular 

 for the lower tribes. Others selected were the following: a far- 

 off island, a mountain top, a secluded valley and the sun or moon. 

 The concept of an earthly paradise for departed souls, was strong 

 among ancient savages; it dwindled during the barbaric stage 

 and only feebly survived during the mediaeval period. However, 

 the acceptance of Hades has had a firm place throughout history; 

 Heaven has gained importance only in modern religions. 



Although death seemed dreadful to most mortals of the past, 

 there were probably variations in tribal sensitivities to it. The 

 people of some groups could not bear the sight of a dying per- 

 son (Abipone Indians of South America; Dobrizhoffer, '53); 

 only old women were permitted in the death house and the body 

 was removed from the premises while it was still warm. Others 

 might be more passive about it. 



Ancestral worship was a common practice among primitive 

 tribes. What happened in this case, was a gradual transformation 

 of gliosts into spirits; in so doing, human characteristics were 

 lost. They became objects of homage despite the fact that they 

 might have been either friendly or unfriendly, but mostly the lat- 

 ter, depending on their disposition. It was believed by some, that 

 in any assemblage of dead spirits in the afterworld, those who were 

 relatives would fuse together because of common interests in 

 survivors. A pool, a higher power, exacting and demanding, was 

 thus formed which had a terrible, collective power. This could 



