quiz 5 (evolution of hearses and coffins) Flashcards

1
Q

what was the first hearse

A
  • a rake
  • roman farmers plowed field with hiprex
  • hiprex = latin for rake
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2
Q

the “timeline” of the name changes of the hearse

A
  • started as hiprex with the Romans
  • Romans introduced it to Britain where it was called the harrow
  • when Normans invaded Britain it was changed to hearse
  • which is french
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3
Q

why did the Normans change the name harrow to hearse

A
  • it looked like their candelabras but upside down
  • and candelabras were important to their funeral services
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4
Q

15th century hearse

A
  • 6 feet long
  • many skewers for candles
  • was a fine craft
  • was used for lid of the coffin for processions
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5
Q

16th century hearse

A
  • when the english spelling of hearse took over (was herse)
  • wheeled cart
  • to hold the coffin and candelabra
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6
Q

ancient times use of bier

A

hand stretcher on which the uncoffined body was carried to the grave

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7
Q

change in biers

A
  • becmae a hand pulled cart
  • at first was specialized to move deceased
  • flat wooden form
  • forerunner of todays church truck or hearse
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8
Q

the bearers of biers

A
  • were oldest or most prominent men
  • at least 4
  • under bearers were additional 4 to tap in for og 4
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9
Q

horse drawn hearse

A
  • colonial hearses
  • 17th century when called horse drawn carriage carrying casket in procession a “hearse”
  • 1690 hearse became a necessity
  • till 19th century hearse and bier interchangeable
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10
Q

19th century hearses

A
  • from wooden box to specialized vehicles
  • for function then appearance
  • were wooden (mahogany)
  • elaborate carvings, velvet drappings, and plumes
  • different colored horses represented different deaths
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11
Q

crane, breed and company

A
  • 1850 built metal caskets
  • 1854 building horse drawn hearses
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12
Q

20th century hearse

A
  • remained horse drawn in 1st decade
  • was more affordable than motorized
  • early motorized hearses were unreliable and loud
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13
Q

1st motorized hearses

A
  • 1908 by General Vehicle Co the “electric hearse”
  • 1909 by Crane and Breed Co the “auto hearse”
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14
Q

funeral trolley cars

A
  • street car
  • more affordable if went past cemetery
  • had room for casket and mourners
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15
Q

three way hearse

A
  • introduced by Henney and Eureka
  • casket table opened through side or back doors
  • curbside un/loading
  • safer
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16
Q

limo style hearse

A
  • just meant a longer style car
  • introduced in 1926
17
Q

victorian style hearse

A
  • introduced by Sayers and Scovill in 1938
  • Landau style hearse
  • padded, leather, or vinyl roof
  • landau bars = s shaped iron bars
  • inspired by device on horse drawn hearses
18
Q

flower car

A
  • appeared in 1940
  • basically held a bunch of flowers on back
19
Q

combination coach

A
  • 1970s gasoline crisis
  • so combined ambulance and hearse “ambulherse”
  • then gov. passed laws
  • became to expensive
20
Q

coach =

A

luxury hearse

21
Q

coach brands

A

cadillac, lincoln, buick

22
Q

how a coach is made

A
  • electrical system removed
  • car cut in half (front/rear)
  • fitted to long chassis
  • connect halves
  • paint
  • electrical system and fluid lines reattached
23
Q

what was earlier burial

A
  • body in bare earth (early egyptians)
  • this was influenced by afterlife beliefs, culture, circumstances at the time, and financial status of dead
24
Q

origin of coffins

A
  • greek word Kofinos which meant basket
  • translated by french to coffin
25
what were the english undertakers
- at first furnisher undertakers made coffins and other stuff - funeral undertakers became just undertaker
26
17th and 18th century burial in america
- early colonist buried directly in the ground - some wrapped/shrouded and placed in a coffin - cerecloth used
27
early coffins
- made fo hardwoods, polished/stained - anthropoidal shape w/ cloth
28
early coffin shops and warehouses
- rapid growth after war 1812 - emphasis on funerals shifted direction of coffins (price, quality)
29
variation in early function of coffins
- transformed to early coffin to modern casket - had increased utility, show status, preserve body, protect from grave robbers, artistic, aesthetic
30
materials and techniques used on caskets
- 1835: John White patent for stone/marble/hydraulic cement one - 1836 James Gray patent for metallic coffin - these die out since too heavy - 1860 caskets made of iron, cement, marble, zinc, iron, glass
31
Fisk metallic coffins
- air tight - patented in 1848 by Almond Fisk - form fitted with porthole for face - expensive
32
large scale manufacture of metallic coffins
- by Crane and Breed Mrg. - introduced mass production of coffins - claimed body preservation, protection from water, vermin, infection
33
coffin vs. casket
- coffin = originally made of wood/plain, started as rectangle, 6-8 sided (anthropoid) - casket = "burial case", wood/metal, ornamentation, lined with fabric, word came from "iron caskets" for jewels
34
metallic burial casket
- undesirable - rectangle more appropriate - start of "ogee" design to use less metal - presents body not just encase - cast iron -> lighter steel - casket replace coffin
35
Crane and Breeds improvements
- bronzed case with bronze finish - ornamental (cloth covering lower half/fringe) - plain/octagon shape - rosewood polish - fisk style fell out for pretty caskets
36
cloth burial case
- patented in 1871 by Samuel Stein - was light, strong, aesthetic - 1890 merged with national casket co - president ulysses s grant style "e" casket
37
Also-Rans of the 19th century
- other caskets less popular than wood, Fisk, cloth covered, and metal coffins - materials: cement, terra cotta, wood-cement, glass w/ iron, basketry - style: cross shape, adjust sizes
38
life signals/bury alive fear
- device in casket to send out sos - many patented/not actually used - embalming rid this fear - coffin torpedo prevent body snatching
39
burial vaults and outside containers
- early material: rock, stone, brick, concrete slabs to line grave -modern concrete vault cam e into being in early 1900s