When the French colonized New Orleans in 1718, they encountered immediate problems. One was the high water table (about 12 inches), so burying bodies in the ground was not a good idea, so they built above ground cemeteries. Not uncommon in the tropical West Indies and what we call Central and South America.
Won't bore you with details. Here's a good article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_Cemeteries_of_New_Orleans
We cherish our cemeteries. They are beautiful and we (and tourists) take thousands of photos of them.
Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1
Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1
Police Mutual Benevolent Association tomb in Greenwood Cemetery
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
Walled or Oven Tombs in Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
Cypress Grove provided a nice book cover
That's all for now. Y'all stay safe.
www.oneildenoux.com
Wonderfully suggestive photos!
ReplyDeleteThe cemeteries there are fascinating. Hope to see them again someday (certainly if the 2021 N.O. Bouchercon happens as planned!).
ReplyDeleteLove the photos - and I have quite a few myself from the last time we were down there in 2015. I hope someday to visit again.
ReplyDeleteI remember the scenes in cemeteries in your War of 1812 novel, BATTLE KISS. Nice to see the illustrations.
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