Your search returned 42 results

Defining death
https://australian.museum/about/history/exhibitions/death-the-last-taboo/defining-death/

There are three main ways that death can be defined: legally, culturally or clinically. Find out what criteria are used to determine the moment of death.

Mourning - Jewish mourning
https://australian.museum/about/history/exhibitions/death-the-last-taboo/mourning-jewish-mourning/

Find out how a Jewish person is prepared for burial and how their mourners are expected to behave during the mourning period.

Disposing of the dead - Burial
https://australian.museum/about/history/exhibitions/death-the-last-taboo/disposing-of-the-dead-burial/

The word burial comes from the Anglo-Saxon word birgan, meaning to conceal. The earliest archaeological evidence for the deliberate treatment of the dead is in the form of ancient burials. In some cultures, the dead were buried in cemeteries as it was illegal to bring the dead into cities.

The Days of the Dead - Mexico
https://australian.museum/about/history/exhibitions/death-the-last-taboo/the-days-of-the-dead-mexico/

Mexicans celebrate Los Dias de los Muertos (the Days of the Dead), on All Saints' Day, 1 November, and All Souls' Day, 2 November, each year. On these days, the souls of the dead, following the fragrant trail of the cempasúchil (marigold) petals, return to earth to spend time with their relatives.

Stethoscopes
https://australian.museum/about/history/exhibitions/death-the-last-taboo/stethoscopes/

The first stethoscope was invented in 1819 by Rene Laennec, and enabled doctors to more confidently detect a heartbeat and identify the 'signs of death'.

The face of death
https://australian.museum/about/history/exhibitions/death-the-last-taboo/the-face-of-death/

Death masks show the subject's facial expression immediately after death. It was important to make death masks quickly, before the features became distorted.

Burial - Pukumani, Tiwi Islands
https://australian.museum/about/history/exhibitions/death-the-last-taboo/burial-pukumani-tiwi-islands/

For the Tiwi people of Bathurst and Melville Islands, Pukumani means taboo and applies to the funeral ceremonies, the possessions of the deceased, the close relatives of the deceased and the gravesite.

Burial - Madagascar
https://australian.museum/about/history/exhibitions/death-the-last-taboo/burial-madagascar/

Throughout Madagascar, great significance is placed on ancestors, who watch over all aspects of daily life and ensure the continuity and unity of the family and community. Ancestor spirits reside in the north-east corner of the home and in the family tomb, reflecting a strong belief in life after

Burial - coffins and caskets
https://australian.museum/about/history/exhibitions/death-the-last-taboo/burial-coffins-and-caskets/

The word coffin is the general term for the receptacles in which a corpse is buried. Many people use the terms coffin and casket interchangeably. To the funeral industry, however, they are two different things.

Death: the last taboo
https://australian.museum/about/history/exhibitions/death-the-last-taboo/

Death is a process rather than an event. Learn more about the process and the many natural and human processes that occur after our death.