Death and Funeral Practices in Portugal

About the Book

Combining a historical and artistic point of view with a focus on the practicalities of managing the dead and their spaces, Death and Funeral Practices in Portugal is the first book to offer a broad look at the evolution and current status of Portuguese funerary practice.

By exploring the country’s historical development, examining the contemporary legal framework, and systematizing the way Portugal manages its cemeteries, crematoria, and other death spaces, this book aims to provide an essential reference to researchers with an interest in Portuguese funeral practice. Among other themes, this book interprets the predominance of Catholic funerals, examines the relatively recent history of cremation, and contextualizes the practices of exhumation and grave re-use, which are integral to the normal functioning of a Portuguese cemetery.