Posted by markos on January 08, 2000 at 01:15:37:
of Death, or Totem Tanz, was a custom believed to have originated in France, which then filtered
into Germany, Italy, Spain, and England. It was carried on throughout the middle ages, and was
at its peak during the 14th and 15th centuries, when many references to it appear in songs,
poems, and dramas, or are depicted on murals in cemeteries, churches, cloisters, and vaults.
The Dance of Death reveals the great preoccupation of mankind during this period with death.
Legends of vampires, werewolves, and ghosts were found throughout Europe during the Dark Ages,
and many customs had been devised to prevent the dead from returning. These included binding
together the feet of the dead, driving nails into their feet, carrying on a death watch and
singing and performing games and dances during wakes or after the grave had received the corpse.
Particularly in Northern European countries, it was customary for those rites to include music and
and dancing. The belief was that music exorcised the dead, forced them into compliance at being
taken to the grave, and prevented them from walking the earth again; church bells were thought
to drive demons away, and to comfort and protect the dead (Backman).