There is much to be learned about the way societies view life from how they handle their dead. CRYPTS, COFFINS AND CORPSES takes a fascinating--and somewhat macabre--journey through the history of death. HISTORY'S MYSTERIES· begins this tour in the present, where professors from the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science demonstrate a modern embalming. This procedure stands in marked conquest to some of the rituals profiled next, like the Tibetan custom of letting dogs devour the bodies of the deceased. But every practice has reasons behind it, as experts like Kenneth V. Iserson, M.D. (the author of Death to Dust) explain. Along with exploring the social forces underlying various burial rituals, the program details advances in mortuary technology, from the development of embalming to the "space burials" offered by a Houston firm. The range of ways devised to honor the departed is a statement to human ingenuity and diversity. 50 min

This is no longer available on VHS so while we strive to still offer new tapes, we do purchase previously viewed tapes in excellent condition. Most of our tapes have only been viewed once. Soon to be available through us on DVD!!!