‘Jewel Encrusted Skeleton ‘Saints’ Make Headlines Around the World’

Paul Koudounaris, who is also identified by his nickname ‘Indiana Bones’ is an novelist, photographer and leading specialist on bone-decorated places and ossuarys. Earlier this year, Koudounaris released a hardback that includes high definition imagery of that 400-year-old ‘catacomb saints’ of Rome, a group of corpses that was meticulously adorned with charms and finery ahead of being offered as the ruins of saints to congregations across Europe.

Throughout the Protestant Overhaul of that 16th Century, Catholic churches were routinely stripped of these relics, cryptogram and finery. So as to defy this, The Vatican had ancient skeletons removed out of the Catacombs of Rome and lavishly decorated as a remnants of recognized saints.

Though regularly forgotten until Koudounaris published his book, the catacomb saints continue to fascinate concerned parties; they can still encourage religious zeal. In 1977, the town of Ruttenbach in Bavaria worked hard to raise enough funds to purchase back 2 of the primary saints from undisclosed collectors, the ornamental skeletons had initially been auctioned off in 1803.

The book, that Koudounaris has surreptitiously titled ‘Heavenly Bodies’ sees its author attempt to find and photograph each of the surviving catacomb saints.

In his heyday (a period that lasted over 200 years before finally coming to a close within the 19th century), the saints travelled far and wide, being transported at vast expense by the Church. They were venerated as things of devotion, or conduits for prayer.

Although the saints could appear unusual to contemporary eyes (one Telegraph reporter described these as ‘ghastly’), it’s crucial that you understand that those who prayed at the feet of the gilded cadavers were considerably closer to demise than their contemporary counterparts. In the wake of The Black Death (which recurred repeatedly right through Europe from the 14th to the 17th Centuries), art, literature and also worship had moved to embrace such ghoulish, macabre imagery.

The remains were regularly decked out by nuns and sometimes located in different natural poses, before being secured in glass cabinets. Some of the thorough decoration took as long as 5 years to finish, with jewellery and costumes being acutely impressive.

Koudounaris’ book, ‘Heavenly Bodies’ is available now.  

‘Jewel Encrusted Skeleton ‘Saints’ Make Headlines Around the World’