The Empire of Death: A Cultural History of Ossuaries and Charnel Houses by Paul Koudounaris Small Hexarthrius parryi paradoxus stag beetle

Hexarthrius parryi paradoxus stag beetle in a black 6x6" frame

The White Rhinoceros is an incredibly unique species

The sites in this specially photographed and brilliantly original study range from the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Palermo

In Victorian England

The Empire of Death: A Cultural History of Ossuaries and Charnel Houses by Paul Koudounaris Small Hexarthrius parryi paradoxus stag beetleFrom bone fetishism in the ancient world to painted skulls in Austria and Bavaria: an unusual and compelling work of cultural history. It is sometimes said that death is the last taboo, but it was not always so. For centuries, religious establishments constructed decorated ossuaries and charnel houses that stand as masterpieces of art created from human bone. These unique structures have been pushed into the footnotes of history; they were part of a