Daith Comes In

'...an it's no particular who it atakes awa.'

How did Scots deal with realities of death in a society where disease, ill health or accident touched most families? Find out about some of the rituals and customs surrounding death, burial and mourning in this fascinating gallery.

Burial rites

The rituals of burial began in the home where the corpse remained while family and friends gathered to pay their respects (Case 1). There was usually a procession to the kirkyard with the coffin, either on foot or with a horse-drawn hearse.

The hearse from Bolton, East Lothian, began to be used in the 1780s. The mortsafe is a reminder of the fear of grave robbers, who dug up corpses for the study of anatomy.

Remembering the dead

In Victorian times,mourning customs became increasingly elaborate, with etiquette demanding not only the wearing of black clothes and jewellery but the use of a whole range of mourning accessories (Case 2). This could be costlym, and 'correct' mourning soon became a sign of status.

Death and belief

Older customs survived, and part of the display is concerned with some of the traditional beliefs that affected attitudes to death. Objects include charms and amulets, and the intriguing miniature coffins found on Arthur's Seat and never fully explained (Case 3).