The Three Cities Trilogy: Lourdes, Volume 1
THE THREE CITIES LOURDES BY EMILE ZOLA Volume 1. TRANSLATED BY ERNEST A. VIZETELLY PREFACE
After a time the body is taken up, the bones cleaned, and deposited in
an ossuary called the Quiogozon.
Figure 1, after De Bry and Lafitau, represents what the early writers
called the Quiogozon, or charnel-house, and allusions will be found to
it in other parts of this volume. Discrepancies in these accounts impair
greatly their value, for one author says that bones were deposited,
another dried bodies.
It will be seen from the following account, furnished by M.B. Kent,
relating to the Sacs and Foxes (_Oh-sak-ke-uck_) of the Nehema Agency,
Nebraska, that these Indians were careful in burying their dead to
prevent the earth coming in contact with the body, and this custom has
been followed by a number of different tribes, as will be seen by
examples given further on.
_Ancient burial_.--The body was buried in a grave made about
2-1/2 feet deep, and was laid always with the head towards
the east, the burial taking place as soon after death as
possible. The grave was prepared by putting bark in the
bottom of it before the corpse was deposited, a plank
covering made and secured some distance above the body. The
plank was made by splitting trees, until intercourse with
the whites enabled them to obtain sawed lumber. The corpse
was always enveloped in a blanket, and prepared as for a
long journey in life, no coffin being used.
THE THREE CITIES LOURDES BY EMILE ZOLA Volume 1. TRANSLATED BY ERNEST A. VIZETELLY PREFACE