A Breath of Dead Air Written and Photographed by Lusine Stepanian
“Would anyone like to stop by the Ossuary?” asked
our tour leader with an uncertain voice. One brave lady and I
raised hands with excitement. This was the moment I was waiting
for! The rest of our passive group sank into the softness of their
seats, giving us a disgusted stare with little whispers of, “Oh
no, my goodness, No”.
Our tour leader seemed rather disappointed herself, “Just
the two of you?” she said, “Then maybe we should skip
it.” Skip it? I was becoming nervous in my little seat.
“No, this is the reason we took this tour”, both of
us screamed back in a synchronised manner. I could not let a chance
such this pass me just because the rest of the bus was not curious
about the Ossuary. I always travel with the belief that if it’s
there, it must be seen.
And so, we head to the Bone House. True, it is not the most popular
attraction of Czech Republic, giving shivers to even the most
naïve of tourists; still, I wanted to see all that the country
had to offer, and the Ossuary was on top of my list.
The Sedlec Ossuary, located in a little town of Kunta Hora on
the outskirts of Prague, is a small Roman Catholic chapel. It
contains approximately 40 000-70 000 human skeletons in forms
of decorations and furnishings. During the Black Plague of the
14th century, one of the most deadly pandemics in human history,
Europe carried as many as 50 million deaths. It is estimated to
have killed about 50 percent of Europe's population. Thousands
of people were buried at the Sedlec cemetery and eventually it
had to be greatly enlarged. During the enlargement construction
in the 1400 many skeletons needed to be exhumed. According to
legend, this task was given to a half-blind monk; he had to disinter
all the skeletons and stack them in the chapel.
The designs that are present today in the Ossuary are the works
of a woodcarver, František Rint, who in 1870 was hired to
put the bone heaps into order. Since then, the Ossuary has become
a rare, yet memorable tourist attraction, and has also been used
as a set location for the film ‘Dungeons & Dragons’.
I enter.
A set of stairs leads into the underground. Human bones are in
abundance here, they are everywhere. They have taken shape of
candle holders, wall décor, a fireplace, and even as a
chandelier- designed using all 206 adult human bones. One can
come here to study anatomy, archaeology or simply to be indulged
into a rather disturbing atmosphere of human bones and dead air.
Standing in front
of two skulls, I observe them curiously. Having acquired
basic knowledge of archaeology I realize one of them is
female. Males differ from females in numerous ways; male
skulls tend to be larger and more robust. An easier way
to detect a male is through the brow ridge. Located above
the eyes, this bone structure is more prominent in men than
women. Gazing at them I question myself. Who were they?
How old? Are they siblings, or maybe a married couple? Skeletal
systems, including skulls, can give clues about the lifestyle
of a person, their diet, and even the climate they lived
in. However, that requires a thorough understanding and
analysis of all skeletal bones at the time of their discovery.
I picture their lives as shiver rushes through my spine
and I sigh with sadness.
“It’s time to go,” calls out the tour
guide impatiently. I snap a few more photos and rush up
the stairs. As I exit this underground darkness the sun
rays create squints in my eyes.
What a beautiful day! I feel alive again, I breathe fresh air
again. I force myself to erase those cold images of human bones
surrounding me. Was I really there, hypnotized by the past, the
pandemics and the dead air? It was surely an experience I won’t
forget, a place which to this day I need to think twice about
before suggesting it to others.
*If at all, after reading this article, you have developed a
slight side effect of curiosity about the Ossuary, then do check
their official website www.kostnice.cz.
Lusine Stepanian
is The Compass Editor. Aside from travel writing she is inspired
by Latin dancing with her second performance on its way. She
is also improving her Spanish skills in order to fully enjoy
her upcoming journey through South America.
