 Greyfriars graveyard in Edinburgh, Scotland.
 Greyfriars graveyard in Edinburgh, Scotland
Photographed in the basement of Rossyln Chapel (Scotland), the inscription reads "King of Terrors."
 "Memento Mori" found in Edinburgh Scotland.
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 St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. The Orkney Islands.
 St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. The Orkney Islands.
  "Memento Mori" found in Edinburgh Scotland.
These are a few of the photos we have taken of skulls during our travels. The photos of the skulls from the Greyfriar's graveyard, in Edinburgh, were described to us by a guide as a reminder that everyone will die or "Momento Mori." Momento Mori is Latin for 'remember (that you have) to die' and is the medieval Latin theory and practice of reflection on mortality, especially as a means of considering the vanity of earthly life."(1) I like to think of this as meaning: treat every day as if it could be your last.
The guide also told us that any skulls placed over gates or entrances into town was to scare away any potential enemies or invaders because they thought the town or city was infested by a plague. I can't find any confirming information of that aspect of the skull for the city of Edinburgh, but it does make sense if she was correct.  The carved image fro m Bergen is from the “Church art in Norway 1100-1750″ exhibit and was found at the Bergen Museum of Cultural History Department. The image of the skeleton pulling the old man to it's side was, what I assume, part of one of Norway's stave churches artifacts now recovered and on exhibit.
The image photographed in the Rosslyn Chapel with the inscription "king of Terrors" had no information and there was no one really around at that moment to ask where it was from or if it was related to the two Templar gravestones that were displayed right beside it. This would make an interesting pendant or book cover in the future. |
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