Mortsafe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A mortsafe is a device for storing a human body prior to burial in Scotland. The mortsafe was locked to protect the deceased from body snatchers, or resurrection men. These were common in Scotland, particularly in early 19th century Edinburgh, where the Edinburgh Medical College used the corpses for dissection.
Old mortsafes can still be found in many old graveyards. They fell out of use when modern health regulations required the storage of bodies in mortuaries.
Examples can be seen at The Museum Of Scotland (Edinburgh), Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh, or at Skene Parish Church.
 |
This Scotland-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
