New Books in Sociology Robert Garland, "What to Expect When You're Dead: An Ancient Tour of Death and the Afterlife" (Princeton UP, 2025)
Jun 2, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Robert Garland, an Emeritus professor from Colgate University specializing in ancient cultures, delves into intriguing death-related beliefs across diverse civilizations. He humorously shares how ancient peoples navigated questions of the afterlife, leading to fascinating burial customs and perceptions of judgment. Listeners will learn about the societal roles surrounding funerals, the balance between tradition and practicality, and how ideas of hell evolved over time. It's a captivating tour through humanity's timeless quest to understand death.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Garland's First Encounter with Death
- Robert Garland first became fascinated by death visiting the British Museum as a child and seeing a mummy called Ginger.
- This early encounter sparked a lifelong scholarly interest in ancient death practices and the afterlife worldwide.
Ancient Ideas of Good Death
- Ancient cultures commonly agreed that a 'good death' involved leaving belongings to loved ones and dying painlessly.
- Sudden death was often idealized, as prolonged agony was unwelcome and medically unsupported then.
Cost Variance of Death Preparations
- Death preparation costs varied widely; ancient Egypt's elaborate afterlife care was extremely expensive.
- Burial societies helped many peoples share costs, demonstrating varying socioeconomic approaches to funerals.