Saturday 3 January 2009

Paris Catacombs

Back from Paris.....and we went to the Catacombs

It was quite an experience. Here are some of the pictures I took - they are blurred, but my excuse is that it was very dark and I had to crank the poor camera into open eye mode, while trying to hold it still........on the other hand, you may think that it added to the atmosphere!













The entrance, is via an
un-prepossessing green tin shack - then after a steep decent down a spiral stone staircase you enter the tunnels....there are a maze of them down there, but for the sake of visitors, a route has been selected that eventually leads to the Ossuary section. Bones from cemeteries all over Paris have been moved there and stored decoratively. The uncountable piles have been arranged in such a way that the bulk of smaller bones have been walled in behind piled up femurs, interspersed with skulls - some facing, staring oddly and others showing only occipital blank curveture. Individuality between the skulls is present if one peers closely enough - a phrenologist's joy - if only they could speak!

Fascinating and possibly grim, but of course we loved it!