The artist's reconstruction of a funeral 2,500 years ago overlooks the St. Lawrence River upstream from MontrÄal. The cremated remains of the grieving woman's husband are about to be placed in a shallow birch bark lined grave along with the grave goods that will accompany him to the spirit world. Red ochre, perhaps symbolizing eternal life, will also be sprinkled over the remains. We will never know the shaman's prayers for the deceased, such is beyond any discipline's scope. We do know, however, that the birdstone in his hand, an apparently symbolic object of unknown significance, will be placed in the grave before it is closed. Despite the absence of surface markers the place of burial is actually a cemetery for these people.
Courtesy: Canadian Museum of Civilization, National Museums of Canada; National Film Board of Canada
