Dear Tiago Tomé,

if you are interested in this (look at photos in the attachment), please:

1) see these sites: http://sedlecossuary.com/sedlec-ossuary-history/ ; http://inquisitionnews.blogspot.tw/2013/03/7-wonders-of-undead-world-global.html ;

2) use keywords (ossuary, symbolism and so on) in Google books, loc.gov, etc. In this way you will find for ex. a book "Skulls and Skeletons: Human Bone Collections and Accumulations" by Christine Quigley (read Chapter "Ossuaries" and others). 

Do you think that this tradition came from Custody of the Holy Land to Europe?

Hello Olga Laguta,

Your question is interesting and raises more questions! :)

Have you read any references to these chapels as being originated from the Crusades? If so, would care to mention the authors?

Thank you,

Claudia

Dear Claudia, Tiago Tomé wrote: "Connections with Franciscan churches and with the Counter-Reform would also be important". As I know the tradition of Christian ossuaries is connected with the Jewish traditions (by origin), and Custody of the Holy Land is connected with Franciscans. So it isn't difficult to guess that this European tradition could come from Custody of the Holy Land, especially if we know that Capela dos Ossos and other places like it were founded or connected with Franciscans. No, I didn't read about it anywhere, but I'm not sure, if it was connected only with the Crusades: the Crusades could be one of the important reasons, however.   

Dear Olga,

Thank you for your answer! I have the impression that there are very few studies on this phenomenon, particularly in what concerns bioanthropological works.

Best,

claudia 

Dear Olga, thank you very much for your suggestions and your thoughts on this matter! The authors I had read up until now did not mention that possible connection with the crusades, mainly I guess because there are reports on the first charnel houses being from a period before the Crusades.

Nevertheless, I shall take a look at your suggestions and follow that lead! Many thanks!

Dear Tiago... Is this a feature of mainland Europe... or does it occur in the UK?

Dear Tiago, are there only 2 ossuaries in the UK or more? I mean:

1) St Leonards Church Ossuary: http://www.stleonardschurchhythekent.org/thecrypt.html;

2)Rothwell Holy Trinity Church Ossuary: http://www.rothwellholytrinity.org.uk/thebuilding.htm .

A seashore - it is clear in this case. But a midland... 

Dear Nick and Olga:

Regarding the UK, there is also a case in London (check link below), although not exactly the typpe of feature I was refering to. Outside of Europe, there are references to one case in Ecuador. But it is mainly a continental Europe feature, yes.

http://www.londonhistorygroup.com/fleet-street-ossuary-and-charnel-house/

 Dear Tiago, thank you for this link.

Dear Tiago, thanks for this.

Hi Tiago

Maybe this:

A. Gonia, M. Kozłowska-Adamczak, H. Michniewicz-Ankiersztajn; 2012; Obiekty sakralne XIX i XX wieku jako produkt turystyki kulturowej i religijnej - przykład Bydgoszczy; "Folia Turistica" vol. 27: 149-159.

http://www.folia-turistica.pl/attachments/article/402/FT_27_2012.pdf

Best Regards

Maciej Wawrzczak

Dear Prof. Ivo,

I'm actually very familiar with the Évora case, I was involved in the recent conservation works that took place there. I am actually gathering information for the final elements of my report on that, thus the question.

Thank you very much for your input!

Dear Tiago, I would recommend to  look  at the crypt of the cappuccini in Rome which is under the Church of the "Immacolata Concezione , Via Vittorio Veneto 27. The book I know about it is written by RINALDO CORDOVANI, LA CRIPTA DEI CAPPUCCINI,Rome 2010. A very famous capuccini crypt , collecting the bones of the Habsburg dynasty,  is located in Vienna in the so called Kapuzinergruft .In Cologne there is the "Golden Room"in St. Ursula church which collected the bones of the 10000 female martyres according the Ursula legend. A helpful book on bones as a relic is the following: Henk van Os, The Way to Heaven -Relic veneration in the Middle Ages, de Prom (publisher), Baarn (NL) 2000.  The cappucine monks as a Franciscan order of the barock age adopted after all some of the late medieval ars moriendi conventions.

Best regards,

Mordechay Lewy 

Dear Mordechay, thank you very much!

Hi Tiago,

I cannot remember the exact names and locations, but you may want to check a couple of churches in Slovacia and Tchech Republic (previous Bohemia), where you find a couple of examples of churches just collecting bones, some of them since Mediaval Times, especially the Black Death. I think Prague alone should have two such churches. I am sorry I cannot give details of names, but I heard of examples 2 years ago.

Best wishes

Andreas

Dear Tjago,

I just find this reference:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/215479660_Anthropologische_Untersuchungen_an_den_Schadeln_aus_dem_Beinhaus_von_Poschiavo_18_-_19_Jh_Graubunden_Schweiz

Best wishes,

Stefan

Article Anthropologische Untersuchungen an den Schädeln aus dem Bein...

Dear Andreas and Stefan, thank you very much for your replies. Unfortunately (regarding Stefan's indication), I'm not a german reader. But thanks anyway!