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All the United States Arkansas False Crypts of Brashears Cemetery

False Crypts of Brashears Cemetery

There are no bodies inside these stone coffins. And there never were.

Combs, Arkansas

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Beckie-Ann Galentine
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Coffin Crypts of Brashear’s Cemetery   beckieanngalentine / Atlas Obscura User
Coffin Crypts of Brashear’s Cemetery   beckieanngalentine / Atlas Obscura User
Coffin Crypts of Brashear’s Cemetery   beckieanngalentine / Atlas Obscura User
Coffin Crypts of Brashear’s Cemetery   beckieanngalentine / Atlas Obscura User
  Marcus O. Bst / CC BY-SA 2.0
  Marcus O. Bst / CC BY-SA 2.0
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Many have speculated about the purpose of false crypts like the ones at Brashears Cemetery. But it's hard to say for certain, as people of their time period did not document the purpose for their carving and stylistic burial site choices.

This unusual grouping of coffin-shaped crypts seems to be only found in the Ozark region. The crypts do not contain any bodies, but perhaps serve as a memento mori—a reminder that all must die. Bodies were interred underneath the false crypts, unlike a traditional crypt which would entomb the remains. Regardless of their purpose, they are both rare and unusual to see.

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Funeral Memento Mori Tombs Cemeteries Graves

Know Before You Go

This cemetery is very secluded and small. There is a modern section and the crypts are directly behind it. Be cautious of damp earth and getting stuck!

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Added By

beckieanngalentine

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

March 23, 2023

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Sources
  • https://academic.oup.com/mississippi-scholarship-online/book/15639/chapter-abstract/170392338?redirectedFrom=fulltext
  • https://www.ozarksalive.com/stories/ozarks-burial-customs-a-gravely-interesting-part-of-local-history
  • https://arkansasgravestones.org/cemetery.php?cemID=331
False Crypts of Brashears Cemetery
Brashears Cemetery
Combs, Arkansas, 72721
United States
35.813332, -93.798605
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