In 1968, Urn Burial was published by Sir Thomas Browne. Browne began writing Hydriotaphia after the amazing discovery of these urns in Norfolk. This discovery led Browne to break apart his curiosity of these urns, and created a sensational conversation about the value of antique items being buried with the departed individual in numerous civilizations. Sir Browne was a man extremely knowledgeable in diverse fields such as medicine, religion, science, and had a very deep curiosity to the natural world. In his research to answer why mankind soaked in this “materialistic mindset” that items proved to the rest of the world an individual’s worth, or reputation as a person. Throughout Browne’s essay, he sought answers in historical civilizations
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The number five plays an extremely significant part to Browne as it displays the dynamic, and unpredictable motion of time, and death. As, both time and death represents symbols of what mankind desires, or what mankind fears. Especially as Browne writes, “Time has endless rarities, and shows of all varieties, which reveals old things in heaven, makes new discoveries in earth, and even earth itself a discovery,” (Browne 63). The meaning of time acts as a illusion, and as man’s “invisible clock” to his own imagination, therefore establishes to the readers that vanity to a man is extremely empty if it sums up to the coins, jewelries, and other relics buried six feet under with the individual as a monument to be remembered by. Which, Browne explains, “Some men, considering the contents of these urns, lasting pieces and toys included in them, and the custom of burning with many other nations, might somewhat doubt whether all urns found among us, were properly Roman relics, or some not belonging unto our British, Saxon, or Danish forefathers,” (69). The numerous cultures Browne applies as examples to support his thinking link the different methods of burying or burning the
The number five plays an extremely significant part to Browne as it displays the dynamic, and unpredictable motion of time, and death. As, both time and death represents symbols of what mankind desires, or what mankind fears. Especially as Browne writes, “Time has endless rarities, and shows of all varieties, which reveals old things in heaven, makes new discoveries in earth, and even earth itself a discovery,” (Browne 63). The meaning of time acts as a illusion, and as man’s “invisible clock” to his own imagination, therefore establishes to the readers that vanity to a man is extremely empty if it sums up to the coins, jewelries, and other relics buried six feet under with the individual as a monument to be remembered by. Which, Browne explains, “Some men, considering the contents of these urns, lasting pieces and toys included in them, and the custom of burning with many other nations, might somewhat doubt whether all urns found among us, were properly Roman relics, or some not belonging unto our British, Saxon, or Danish forefathers,” (69). The numerous cultures Browne applies as examples to support his thinking link the different methods of burying or burning the