Memento Mori: The Dead Among Us

by Paul Koudounaris

The astonishing story of how the dead live on in memorials and traditions across the globe, from Ethiopia and Nepal to Cambodia and Rwanda, told through arresting images and captivating narration

Death is universal, but the human response to death varies widely. In Western society, death is usually medicalised and taboo, and kept apart from the world of the living, while in much of the rest of the world, and for much of human history, death has commonly been far more integrated into peoples’ daily existence, and human remains are as much a reminder of life, memento vitae, as of death, memento mori.

Through photos taken at more than 250 sites in thirty countries over a decade, Paul Koudounaris has captured death around the world. From Bolivia’s “festival of the little pug-nosed ones,” where skulls are festooned with flowers and given cigarettes to smoke and beanie hats to protect them from the weather to Indonesian families who dress mummies and include them in their household routines; from naturally preserved Buddhist monks and memorials to genocide in Rwanda and Cambodia to the dramatic climax of Europe’s great ossuaries, Memento Mori defies taboo to demonstrate how the dead continue to be present in the lives of people everywhere. 500+ colour illustrations

Genres: Nonfiction, Death, History, Art, Photography, Anthropology, Cultural

216 pages, Hardcover

First published April 14, 2015

About the author

Paul Koudounaris is an author and photographer from Los Angeles. He has a PhD in Art History and his publications in the field of charnel house and ossuary research have made him a well-known figure in the field of macabre art and art history. He is a member of The Order of the Good Death.

Reviews

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review written for and published by Portland Book Review on May 11th:

Memento Mori: The Dead Among Us is a hardcover coffee table book that takes a look at how people through history and various parts of the world handle the concept of death, as well as different treatments of human remains. Author Paul Koudounaris points out how death in the Western world has become removed, clinical, and something to be feared. Where in the past, families spent time with the corpse for several days and dressed and cleaned the body themselves, now most of the time bodies are bagged, tagged, sorted, dressed, presented, and buried by professionals in the medical and/or mortuary professions. In the Western world death is no longer part of our everyday existence. However, this was not the case in the past, nor is it still the case in different countries.

Memento Mori is part history lesson, and part documentary. The book guides readers through the practice of charnel houses and ossuaries that were once a common part of Catholic religion – a place for people to go to contemplate their own mortality, as well as to connect with the past generations. There is a chapter on burial caves throughout Asia, the enshrining of victims bodies to commemorate genocides and other mass senseless deaths, churches decorated with bones in strangely lovely artistic ways, and the use of mummies in various religions in the past through current times. The book discusses the ñatitas, skulls that are enshrined in homes in Bolivia and are treated as family members and esteemed friends, as well as the jewel encrusted martyrs of the Old Catholic faith.

The book is peppered with images, most of them photographs taken by the author on his travels around the world. The images are tasteful and surprisingly loving, despite the Western world’s general aversion to images of bones and corpses. You won’t find any blood and guts here, just the final resting places of the long dead.

This is a fascinating book that points out the evolution of the perception of death and the dead in various cultures. While probably not the best book for the squeamish, Memento Mori is perfect for those interested in learning a bit more about historical changes regarding death and the treatment of bodies, and those with an interest in the macabre.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. Learning that cultures have an ongoing relationships with the dead by honouring, venerating, and communing with them is a wonder. The little pug-nose one, ñatita, especially touched me. I got to hear the author speak in 2022 at a bookstore in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A fascinating man, whose gift for storytelling through photography and spoken word I am very grateful for. If you cannot meet Paul Koudounaries in person to hear him tell you about his travels; no worries his photographs and words will paint a meaningful and lovely account.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

curated from books by Kaitlin Doughty

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

More intimate communal death!

[Irene Lázaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este libro es precioso por dentro y por fuera. La maquetación está muy cuidada y las fotografías son espectaculares. Me gusta que el autor y fotógrafo haya viajado fuera de Europa para muchas de las imágenes del libro. No le doy cinco estrellas porque los textos son un poco genéricos. Están bien para tener una idea sobre distintas tradiciones en relación con la muerte pero poco más. Aun así merece la pena.

[Annie Canton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved all the photos. The charnel houses were the most stunning in my opinion. The choice to have so many photos was very wise. Paul is a great photographer and is able to be respectful to many cultures. More books should have photographs or illustrations, not just children’s books. Overall a great book with knowledgeable sections on the pictures it is showing.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Koudounaris has several books out covering similar material, but there is no denying his mastery of taking glorious photos of very dead people. His accompanying essays covering various cultural practices around visible memorializing the dead in ways the living can interact and commune with also adds interesting context.

[Pocki · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a truly beautiful book!

I have all three books in this trilogy (and the last two were gifts from the same person on different occasions, which is very sweet) but I haven't finished reading Empire of Death. For some reason to text in that takes a long time to get through. This book however had less text, and in much smaller bites, which I enjoyed. I really like that we got a glimpse into practices from all over the world, and how they both differ and resemble each other.

The photography is gorgeous as always. But I would expect nothing less from Paul. The overall look of the book was a bit shocking at first, with its super bright colours and lavish decoration around text blocks etc. However, I rather quickly started to really appreciate the unique look of it all. It's also a great format (but Paul, if you make the next book any taller it won't fit in my bookshelf!) and a lovely satin binding. It feels very special and luxurious, and if I had a coffee table I might've had to put it on display for parties. For now it gets to live on my osteology/archaeology shelf with all the other great books about death.

[Jantine Zandbergen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although not as deep and informative as his previous two books on death, 'Memento Mori' is another must-read book by Paul Koudounaris. As always the photography is stunning, and reading about these wonderful places is a delight. If you're just starting with Paul's books I'd recommend reading this first. If you're already a fan of the other two I can only say that you won't regret buying this one as well. Beautiful book, must read for fans of the macabre.

[Colona Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has outstanding photographs of death culture from around the world! Checking out this book is worth it 5/5 stars just for the photography alone! I've learned a lot about other cultures death ceremonies and monuments and it is a shame that death culture is not prominent in the US. This is a must if you are morbidly curious! You can special order this book at the Colona Public Library! ~Ashley

[Grayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of the places covered in this had been covered in the author's first two books, but there was new text and some photos from elsewhere in the world. A nice read, but too much repetition from the other books.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy, haunting, mesmerizing. A book full of gorgeous photographs of the ways in which we memorialize our dead. Don't read before going to bed.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous. I wish it had been a little more text-heavy because the information that was there about death culture throughout past times and in various cultures was fascinating.

[Dylan Rock · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely gorgeous book on a subject few may find hard to stomach. The quality of the photography and of the book itself is amazing

[Susannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully bound book on a seldom discussed subject: the communing of the living with the dead. This hardback is covered in blue satiny cloth, with orange printed text, and the image of a skull. The facing pages are also bright orange, and the book itself is filled with many full page photographs.

Koudounaris has written several books about the living's relationship with the dead, but this is the first of his that I have read. In Memento Mori he discusses how throughout history in the Western World death was ever present, and acknowledged as a part of life, but that it has now become divorced from life in modern times. However, in many other cultures, such Bolivia, and some in Asia, death is present as a part of life.

This book showcases ways that cultures throughout history have found a way to continue living with loved ones beyond death through the celebration and reverence of skulls and bones. This includes Bolivian skull decorating, mummification, and the elaborate bone chapels of the Catholic church.

This book is a macabrely beautiful celebration of life and death. Though it may not be for the faint of heart, as some images are a bit gruesome.

[Kristin]

I loved reading this very much, and it really helped me. I picked it up intentionally as part of looking for works that are about death to confront it through immersion, as my life has been touched by an unnatural number of deaths in an extremely short amount of time. It made me get the best sleep of my life due to the strange peace it brought me. Seeing people as skeletons for some reason increases my empathy, to the extent that when I'm provoked to road rage now, I can immediately access empathy for the person by knowing that they will one day be a broken, piteous, yet pretty skeleton that is somehow dear and to be protected. My only critique of the book is that it seems to purport to cover all world death traditions and views, and it very much does not (Jewish and Navajo views are particularly interesting and entirely missing here). But as long as you understand that it's only looking at cultures who celebrate, display, arrange, and manipulate skeletons in elaborate ways, it's still very interesting.

[Collie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memento Mori makes a very strong first impression. This is book-as-design-object taken to a lush, oversized extreme. This is in keeping with many of the photographic subjects inside, who are ornamented and cared for with loving attention by their living caretakers.

Although this is much less in-depth than the author's previous works, the introduction was excellent at setting up my expectations as a viewer/reader and was one of the more cohesive artist's statements I've read. The information provided with the photos was often very moving. This is less a book for gawking at than it is a meditation on our continuing relationships with the dead, and those who come to it with an open mind will find it surprisingly touching.

[Geof Sage · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is best thought of as a photo companion book to From Here to Eternity. Many of the burial practices (and some of the actual phototaking) is described in that book by Caitlin Doughty. My chief complaint is that this book is mostly pictures and the text, while good, has little new for the amateur thanatologist other than various descriptions of categories of dead-as-art. Almost all of the discussion of Aries, Foucault, and Bakhtin can be found elsewhere in more depth with similar conclusions.

That said, this book is both really fucking gorgeous and very respectful of what the pictures are of: dead, from various cultures, with varying roles within those cultures.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Displaying dead bodies is somewhat taboo in the Western world, but it didn't used to be. Photos from Bolivia and east Asia display how the dead are incorporated into everyday family life with a very physical presence, and we go to the medieval ossuaries of Europe where bones are made into ornate art works and embellished with jewels and fine textiles. Humbling, startling, and really beautiful, Memento Mori does make us a little more comfortable with the great equalizer, death.

[Marie Meow Meow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely beautiful book. The pictures are stunning and intriguing. The font is very small for such a large book however.
Americans fear death, and our death practices are very cold and sterile. I worked as a hospice nurse for 15 years, and it's fascinating to see how other cultures celebrate death and actually make it a part of life. Highly recommend this book for anyone interested in death and dying.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The photos were exquisite in this intimate book on death, dying and human remains, but it was the text that I loved most. We often assume that our beliefs are shared by others, but these are vastly different across time, cultures and religions. Paul Koudounaris' explanation of these differences was as fascinating as the images.

I wouldn't describe this large edition as a coffee table book - visitors may be triggered or shocked by the content. Share with care.

[Varina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book! I thought this was going to be more of a nonfiction examination of death rituals, but it's an oversized book with spectacular photos of catacombs, bone art, skulls, and more. Koudounaris includes a few blurbs throughout about the history of his subjects and there's an informative introduction. Truly a fascinating examination of humans' relationship with death.

[Amanda Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

The photographs in this book are absolutely stunning! I love how Koudounaris writes; just enough detail and description to give you the history behind each photo without overwhelming you with too much information. I had rented it from my local library and I’m so impressed and in love with it that I plan on buying a copy of it for my own personal library!

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars (rating as 5 stars for photography)

This is a stunning ‘coffee table’ book with incredible photographs from around the world, which is really what this book is all about.

However, some points within the text are a bit repetitive and, most significantly, some of the writing is hard to read because of the colour of the background chosen.

[Taryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book’s introduction is worth its price for the knowledge gained about the transformation that has resulted in Western culture’s current bizarre denial of death. The beautiful photographs and stories from around the world make this work even more important.

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dead among us. A very interesting look at the different ways people have honored the dead. In this case, filled with amazing photographs, you see long bones and skulls, stacked in amazing patterns, and held as a sacred space.

A history that I was not aware of.

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful visual into the various ways we humans have celebrated our dead. I would have liked larger font given the size of font and different colors of papers. This would provide more contrast visually, though that is more a criticique of the publishing than the actual content.

[Kyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Paul is a gifted photographer and fascinating writer.

[Karie Schulenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fascinating and beautiful

[Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book through "Ask a Mortician" and it's morbidly fascinating.