PRIMITIVE CONCEPTS REGARDING THE DEAD 17 



shining overhead, was the time selected for these events. When 

 that planet slowly faded from the heavens and the first golden 

 rays of the sun appeared, the body was slowly lowered into a grave 

 accompanied by more chanting and feasting. Thousands of years 

 later, the rites became more ornate; the body was painted and 

 decorated; there was great feasting and celebration, and weapons, 

 food and ornaments were also put into the grave. 



The position that a corpse was placed in its burial pit had 

 varying significance to the savage. One method was to adjust 

 it to a sitting posture, simulating the flexed attitude of a fetus. 

 A second was to place it in a prone position, face downward, as a 

 preventive measure against the re-entrance of the ghost leading 

 to possible reincarnation. This was particularly practiced when 

 the dead person was judged to have been of evil personality dur- 

 ing life. A common procedure before actual burial was to carry 

 the body feet foremost toward the spot of final disposition, in 

 order to prevent its soul from seeing the death house. If such 

 should occur, it could cast an evil influence upon the people in 

 the form of sickness or death. 



Going back into remote antiquity was the policy of using 

 gravestones. Again, this was associated with the idea of evil spirits. 

 Heavy stones were first used by placing them upon grave mounds 

 in order to prevent them from arising and creating havoc among 

 the living people. Marking graves so they could be recognized 

 and identified also goes far back into the prehistory of mankind. 

 This was done, not only to keep the ghosts from rising and causing 

 damage but also that the spot might be avoided by the living. 

 Paleolithic man utilized headstones to mark the graves of their 

 dead, whereas the neolithic tribes set up great stone megaliths 

 above the mounds which hid the dead; it is not known how they 

 were able to elevate these to a crosswise position. 



Cremation was one of the earliest methods of disposing of 

 the dead and, at one time, it threatened to become a universal 

 custom. The reason for its use was that it was judged to be the 

 simplest and most effective way of handling both body and 

 ghost. It is still practiced in many places. In some territories, to- 

 day, the people believe that evil spirits may pollute them until 

 the corpse has dissolved and passed from view; great care is ex- 



