Cities of the Dead
From
the freeway the tombs look like a collection of children's
playhouses.1
The white mausoleums mimic spired churches, porticoed
mansions, neo-classic banks, Greek temples. The more
elaborate tombs are arranged in neat rows and are adorned
with flowers. Humbler tombs, resembling concrete dog
houses, are jammed haphazardly together like lost luggage.
Few graveyards are as famous as New Orleans' above-ground
cemeteries. In the 1700s the city's earliest settlers
buried their dead along the banks of the Mississippi.
As the population grew, the city selected a plot of
land near Rampart Street as a burial ground. The traditional
practice of burying the dead caused problems in Louisiana's
tropical climate and watery soil. The water table was
so high that grave diggers frequently struck water after
two feet. Coffins bobbed to the surface and had to be
sunk. Decaying bodies posed a major health threat, especially
in summer. As a result, the dead had to be interned
above ground in "vaults."2
Unlike tombs in other cities, the vaults of New Orleans
are reusable. Following a burial, the coffin is sealed
in the vault until the body decomposes. Later the remaining
bones are removed and placed in a lower crypt, leaving
space for a new coffin. This way a single vault can
serve a family for generations. Organizations offered
their members a cheaper alternative to the family vault
by building attached tombs. Often several stories tall,
these
"apartment buildings" provided rows of tombs called
"ovens."3
Those resting in the three cemeteries, St. Louis Nos.
one, two, and three, reflect the city's colorful history.
Among the bankers and former mayors lie the remains
of Dominque You, a pirate; the chess player Paul Morphy;
and Alexander Milne, a noted philanthropist.4
But perhaps the most famous and mysterious tomb belongs
to Marie Laveau, still revered by many as the Voodoo
Queen. 5
Loyal followers of Marie Laveau enact elaborate graveyard
rituals to curry favor. Seeking her blessing, they turn
around three times, tap the slab of the tomb three times,
and make a cross with the edge of a brick kept atop
the tomb. Visitors leave flowers and light votive candles,
while others place "hoodoo money" - two pennies or a
dime and a penny - in the flower holders flanking the
tomb of one of the most famous residents in the City
of the Dead.
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