The Visible World and The Underworld As Reflected in the Funeral Inscriptions of Moldavia Cover Image

Lumea de aici şi lumea de dincolo reflectată în inscripţiile funerare din Moldova
The Visible World and The Underworld As Reflected in the Funeral Inscriptions of Moldavia

Author(s): Elena Chiaburu
Subject(s): Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology
Published by: Editura Palatul Culturii

Summary/Abstract: The universe of folk culture refers to the visible world and the underworld. For a long period, until mid 19th century, a form of expression of the interdependence of the two worlds was provided by the texts carved on the tombstones and the funeral crosses. Of scripture inspiration, inscriptions assert the condition of „God’s slave” of the deceased and contain various formulas of invoking the divine goodwill. On many times, epitaphs were written like a dialogue between the deceased and those passing by its tomb, with moralizing sentences and thoughts that denote the education of those having ordered them. Written in Slavonic, Romanian and Greek, in prose or verse, inscriptions reflect mentalities, illustrate the evolution of the language and the taste of an epoch.

  • Issue Year: 2011
  • Issue No: 11
  • Page Range: 117-136
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Romanian