Urn Burial
Urn Burial by Sir Thomas Browne, published by New Directions Publishing in 2010, is an illustrated edition comprising 90 pages. This work stands as a significant piece of Renaissance scholarship and is recognized as one of the notable essays in English literature. The text begins with observations on the discovery of Roman burial urns, leading Browne to reflect on various themes such as elephant graveyards, pre-Christian cremation practices, and the concept of Christian burial.
Readers will find a deep exploration of mortality and the uncertainties surrounding fate and legacy. Browne’s contemplative style invites readers to engage with historical and philosophical inquiries related to death and dying, as well as the cultural practices surrounding these themes in ancient Europe. This edition also features a discourse on Sir Thomas Browne from W. G. Sebald’s The Rings of Saturn, enriching the context of Browne’s reflections.
Official synopsis Publisher
Hydriotaphia, or Urn Burial, is one of the pinnacles of Renaissance scholarship and without doubt one of the great essays in English literature. Beginning with observations on the recent discovery of Roman antiquities in the form of burial urns, Browne’s associative mind wanders to elephant graveyards, to pre-Christian cremation ceremonies, and finally to the idea of Christian burial. Browne then explores, with a more melancholic meditation, man’s struggles with mortality and the uncertainty of his fate and fame in the living world. This edition includes a magisterial discourse on Sir Thomas Browne taken from the first chapter of W. G. Sebald’s The Rings of Saturn.
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