Enchantment : Ashes, Diamonds and the Transformation of Funeral Culture

The culture of burial and mourning is presently in a state of flux. The idea of using the cremated remains of loved ones to form jewelry no longer belongs to the realm of science fiction but has become a fact of modern life. Today, many countries are open to allowing the ashes of the dead to be turned into ornamental objects. Technically, this produces remembrance artifacts representing the dead. The new aspect is that the mortal remains continue to exist after death in the form of such an artifact, for which previous burial culture has no precedent. How do such "ash diamonds" figure into the mourning process? How do relatives deal with this phenomenon? What is the role of esthetics? How does the social environment react to this "metamorphosis"? And does this represent the renewal of the idea of relics? This book is based on interviews held with persons who decided to go this route of remembering their deceased loved ones. The authors also visited the production facilities of these precious stones, talked with experts about the process, and attended the delivery rituals. In addition to practical, theological, and sociological assessments, the volume includes case studies that provide a forum for those concerned to voice their opinions.