Sefdaanian Ethnography Chapter 17 - Death and Burial
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Contents
Pronunciation table
| (labial) |
riisűko (dental) |
muitűko (alveolar) |
vainűko (palatal) |
ṡ̨uuše̋nos (vowels) |
nı̋þo ṡ̨uuše̋nos (weak vowels) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| b | f | v | m̃ | m | t | d | þ | ð | ɫ | l | ṡ | ż | s | z | r | n | k | g | x | ƣ | h | ȝ | š | s̨ | i | e | a | ǫ | o | u | ĭ | ĕ | ŭ | |||||||||||||
| /p/ | /b/ | /ɸ/ | /β/ | /m̥/ | /m/ | /t/ | /d/ | /θ/ | /ð/ | /l̥/ | /l/ | /ʦ/ | /ʣ/ | /s/ | /z/ | /ɾ̥/ | /n/ | /k/ | /g/ | /ç/ | /ʝ/ | /j̊/ | /j/ | /sʷ/ | /sʲ/ | /i/ | /e/ | /ä/ | /ɒ/ | /o/ | /u/ | /ɪ/ | /ɛ/ | /ʊ/ | ||||||||||||
Funeral rites - n̨avþa̋xos
- The funeral (n̨a̋bo) is seen as a rite of passage from this life to the next, for all the Peoples believe in a life after death.
- The Pyrans cremate (neṡa̋iða) their dead. There is a cremation site (néṡaið̤e̋e̋o) outside of every da̋bo. The ashes of the deceased are kept in the home of the deceased in a place of honor (nésþalðe̋e̋o) and are buried on the following vernal (kiiðpa̋rta) equinox in a remote area a distance from the da̋bo.
- The Hydorans wrap the body of the deceased in a shroud of cattail cloth (kúrðĕneṡőőro) and place it on a raft of reeds (ɠorþe̋e̋mo). The raft is set free in flowing water to be taken down to the sea. If it sinks in the river, or when it sinks in the sea, the body is left to the forces of nature. Any Hydoran who finds such a raft caught on a rock or other obstacle is bound to set it free to continue its journey.
- The Humans wrap the body of the deceased securely in a shroud of horse leather (kóón̈eṡőőro). This shroud is made from the hide of the deceased’s steed. After a six-day period of mourning, which includes a feast each evening, shared with the whole community, on the steed’s flesh, the deceased is buried some distance from the ṡe̋im̃o in a communal cemetery (ðoovka̋a̋po).
- The Lithans bury their dead in stone coffins (taainṡ̨űbo) in a burial cave (ðoovfa̋go) set aside for this purpose. Six years after the death, the bones are removed from the stone coffin and placed in an ossuary niche deeper in the mountain. The stone coffin can then be reused.
Murder - ka̋a̋ðra
- Murder is a criminal offense, and a sin, among the Peoples. However, there is no capital punishment among the Peoples. The supreme punishment is branding (aiðże̋e̋nu) and exile (ka̋sra). The exilee (ka̋saþu) may then choose to wander aimlessly, to join the ranks of the sundered, or to enter a caravansary and work to atone for his sin.
Suicide - mika̋a̋ðra
- Suicide is not a crime (le̋ito) among the Peoples. It is, however, a sin (a̋go) and must be answered for at the judgment (me̋ðra).
- The body of the suicide is treated as reverently as the body of any other deceased.
