The largest cemetery in the world is Wadi al-Salam, which means “Valley of Death.” The largest cemetery in the world
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Tradition of the bodies of the dead is a tradition of most religions of the world. Over the years of the existence of civilization, the planet was covered with a network of “cities of the dead”, where billions of the dead found refuge. Where is the world's largest cemetery? This article is devoted to answering this question.
Sacred place of three religions
The Old Testament calls a place Last Judgment The Valley of Jehoshaphat, revered by both Christians, Jews and Muslims. The burial place of King Jehoshaphat is located in the east of Jerusalem, which is crossed from north to south by the Kidron River, 35 kilometers long. Along its bottom flows the Kidron stream, whose clearest waters flow into the Dead Sea. Here for representatives three religions There is more than one cemetery. The Kidron Valley is famous for its Hebrew, where carved into the rock:
- Tomb of Absalom (I-II centuries BC).
- Tombs of Jehoshaphat and Zechariah, sons of Hezir.
- Bnei Khazir family burial.
Christians in the valley have their own holy places - the tomb of the Apostle James and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
About a million people found their refuge here. It is believed that the deceased in the Kidron Valley will be the first to meet the Almighty, so burial places are extremely expensive - starting from $1 million. The Hebrew cemetery is multi-layered: in each section there are graves of representatives different eras installed on top of each other. The nobility were buried in crypts that have survived to this day. Despite the fact that places in the cemetery have been bought up for many years in advance, it is not the largest in the world.
calvary cemetery
Three million people are buried in New York. The cemetery is named after Mount Golgotha and is divided into four sectors, deleted friend from a friend. It was founded by Catholics in 1848. The day before, after a terrible cholera epidemic, the authorities were forced to allow burials outside the city, at that time consisting of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Non-profit organizations It was allowed to own private cemeteries, which led to their commercialization. After the city expanded, Calvary ended up in an area called Queens. On his lands today there are 29 “cities of the dead” with a population of five million, which is twice the number of inhabitants of the region.
But this is not the largest cemetery in the world. It is the largest in the Western Hemisphere and is famous for the fact that it is here that the most famous people New York: from mayors to gangsters. Don Corleone was also “buried” here (“ Godfather"F. Coppola).
Military cemetery
The graves of John Kennedy and his widow, John Dulles, fallen astronauts and other prominent US personalities are located in a military cemetery in the suburbs of Washington. Founded in 1865, Arlington Cemetery was dedicated to soldiers who died during the Civil War. Over time, burial rules began to be regulated by the US authorities, who turned the necropolis into one of the most honorable places. Arlington Cemetery is dedicated to military personnel and their families, as well as those who have served their country.
Today it has about 320 thousand graves, but its territory is one of the most significant in the world (two and a half square kilometers). The example shows that prolonged military action is the reason for the growth of the “city of the dead.”
Most belligerent state
The Middle East is the most complex ethno-religious region, where the Kurds do not have their own state and interpret Islam differently. Sunnism is the prerogative of the Arabs, and Shiism of the Persians, although there are many exceptions. They profess Sunnism, which was also favored by the Saddam Hussein regime. At first American operation 13 years have passed in Iraq, but today it is already obvious to everyone that the occupation of the country was illegal. This is an act of direct aggression that did not end with the withdrawal of troops in 2010. By supporting the Shiites, the Americans provoked a serious civil war, a series of terrorist attacks and a surge in violence.
It is easy to guess what is located on the territory of Iraq, which is embroiled in a bloody massacre. Southern city Najaf, holy to Shiites, receives millions of pilgrims every year, second only to Mecca and Medina in number. It is here that the “city of the dead” is located, the first burials of which date back to the 7th century AD.
Wadi al-Salam in Najaf
The name of the cemetery is known to any Muslim. The first imam, Ali, is buried here, whose worship is one of the differences between Sunnis and Shiites. The son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet Muhammad is included in the Shahada of every Shiite. That is why any representative of this religion dreams of resting next to the friend of Allah. Believers talk about miracles happening in the cemetery. The chosen one is the spirit of the imam, in whose return and just rule in the future everyone believes. Hundreds of soldiers and civilians are buried daily in a gigantic area of more than six square kilometers.
Before death, Shiites instruct relatives in any corner of the country to transport their bodies to Najaf. The literal translation of the name of the cemetery sounds like “valley of death”, where there is a burial on every square meter. It is believed that more than 6 million people found their final refuge here.
Years of war
Since 2003, when the Americans invaded Iraq, rebels have been hiding among the tombs, hoping for the help of Allah. In 2004, real battles took place on its territory, leaving destruction and craters from explosions. These days, up to 250-300 people were buried. All rituals were observed even under the threat of shelling. The bodies were washed and wrapped in a white shroud. Funeral prayers were read in Ali's tomb, after which the deceased were carried three times around the mausoleum of Imam Mahdi. Gravestones were sprinkled with holy water, for which there is always a queue at the entrance to the mausoleum.
The cemetery has never been shelled and order is maintained. federal services. Military personnel are also buried here, but their graves are under religious protection. Relatives from all over Iraq read the Koran at the stone slabs. In the mausoleum of Imam Mahdi, obligatory prayer - namaz - is performed every Thursday.
Afterword
The world's largest cemetery grew by 40% as a result of military action recent years. This confirms the hypothesis that such dimensions of the “city of the dead” are impossible in a peaceful, calm region. War is the main evil that turns the territory of the countries of the Middle East into an area where there are more dead than living.
The presence of burials is one of key features, by which people with the rudiments of consciousness and culture are distinguished from their primitive ancestors. In the most different forms, invented by cultures, graveyards accompany human dwellings.
We are accustomed to thinking that over centuries and even millennia, empires arise and fall, cities flourish and decline, and cemeteries cannot avoid a similar fate. But what if, for some reason, people were buried in the same place for fifteen hundred years?
There really is such a place; it is Wadi al-Salam - the largest and oldest cemetery in the world. Over the past 1,500 years of daily burials, more than 5,000,000 people were buried here - before us real city dead.
City of the Dead
The necropolis is located in the south of Iraq near the city of An-Najaf, along the Euphrates River. Both Shiites and Sunnis consider the city sacred: it is the 3rd most visited place annually by pilgrims after Mecca (where the Kaaba stone is located) and Medina. At the same time, the population of An-Najaf itself, about 850,000 people, is 6 times (!) less than the number buried in the Wadi al-Salam cemetery. That is why this place is recognized (unofficially) as the largest necropolis on earth.
Wadi al-Salam - the largest cemetery in the world
One of the reasons for such a colossal number of burials is religious. Many Shiites consider it honorable to rest their remains next to the fourth righteous caliph Ali ibn Abu Talib - his grave is located in the center of the necropolis. Imam Ali - real face, he took part in political and public life Arabs in the 7th century AD, it is believed cousin, son-in-law, as well as the closest follower of the Prophet Muhammad. Shiites revere him as the 1st of 12 imams, and also as the 1st male person to convert to Islam.
Wadi al-Salam is the resting place of many famous figures of the Arab world
Not only residents of nearby lands, but also cultural figures, scientists, artists, interpreters of the Koran and prominent politicians from Iraq and other Islamic countries specially came to An-Najaf to find their last refuge on Wadi al-Salam. In fact, the name of the cemetery itself translates as “valley of death” (peace).
The largest cemetery in the world is amazingly compact
Wadi al-Salam is surprisingly compact - more than 5 million people are buried here in an area measuring just over 6 square meters. km. And this despite the fact that, according to the requirements of Sharia, there are paths between individual graves (in the widest sections of the road), there are fences and even large buildings like mausoleums or family tombs. Then it becomes clear that for every 1 person there is 1 square meter, or even less. The burial density is extremely high.
Wadi al-Salam - UNESCO site
In June 2010, UNESCO planned to list Wadi al-Salam as a World Heritage Site. And, although hostilities continued in the region, for 2 weeks a delegation of the world organization was in Iraq to discuss this issue. Currently, the necropolis is on the preliminary list.
Necropolises, or cities of the dead, have appeared all over the world from ancient times to the present day. Some grew chaotically due to overcrowding, while others were carefully planned. In some cases, the architects who built the necropolises made them exact copies cities from the living world.
1. Wadi al-Salam
Wadi al-Salam - the "Valley of Peace", containing five million graves, is the largest cemetery in the world. This necropolis is located in one of the largest cities in Iraq, Najaf, which is home to 600,000 people. Najaf is also one of the three holiest cities for Shia Muslims, besides Mecca and Medina.
There is a belief among Shiites that all believers should be buried in Wadi al-Salam, regardless of where they were originally interred. Because people have been buried at this site for over 1,500 years, Wadi al-Salam covers over 8 square kilometers and continues to grow. The Iraq War alone expanded the cemetery by 40 percent.
2. Skavi Necropolis
Beneath St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican lies the Vatican Necropolis (Scavi), a huge underground cemetery complex built around the bones of St. Peter, who was executed in Rome during the reign of Nero. The complex consists of three levels that were created between 27 BC. and 476 AD. It contains pagan graves dating from the first century, as well as fifth-century burials where Christians are buried next to pagans.
The streets of the necropolis are exact analogues of the streets ancient Rome, except that instead of shops and houses there are graves. In 1965, archaeologists said they had discovered the bones of St. Peter when they came across a grave marked "Peter is here." The tomb of St. Peter is located directly under the central altar and dome of the basilica.
3. Necropolis Sylvan
On the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem you can find the oldest continuously used cemetery in the world: the Silvan necropolis. The site has been used for burials for three millennia since the city's origins, and now contains 150,000 graves. Sylvan has great value for believers, because it is generally accepted that the Messiah will return to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives and those who rest on the mountain will be saved first.
4. Necropolis of Monterozzi
The Necropolis of Monterozzi is an Etruscan cemetery complex of 6,000 graves, which are carved into the rocks east of Italian city Tarquinia. The cemetery is an exact copy of the Etruscan city. The burial chambers replicate the interiors of houses of that period, so thanks to the ancient necropolis you can see what cities looked like in pre-Roman Italy.
Monterozzi is famous for its 200 painted tombs, some of which date back to the 7th century BC. They are considered "the first chapter in great history Italian painting"These tombs are exact replicas of Etruscan houses, and their elaborate frescoes depict scenes from everyday life.
5. Orti-Petra
Located 30 km from the city of Rethymno on Crete, the necropolis of Orti Petra is a kind of “window” into the world of the Homeric era. This necropolis is part of a larger archaeological site that has been inhabited since 3000 BC. to Byzantine era. The burial chambers of Orti-Petra contain elements that directly relate to the stories of the Iliad. One of the most intriguing discoveries at Orti Petra was the burial of four women.
It is believed that one of them (who died aged 72) was a priestess, and the other three (who were young at the time of death) were her protégés. All the women were buried with rich jewelry, indicating the island's thriving trade with Egypt, Greece and the Middle East. The fact that these women chose to be buried together, without a man, says a lot about the sexual politics of ancient Crete.
6. Solnitsata Necropolis
North of the town of Provadiya in Bulgaria, archaeologists have discovered the Solnitsata necropolis, which is considered the oldest known in Europe. The site dates back to 4300 BC, making the necropolis a thousand years older than Greek civilization. The high, thick walls surrounding the city, which was home to approximately 300 people, suggests that the inhabitants were protecting something valuable. It is believed that they traded salt, a valuable mineral that was often used as currency in ancient times.
The most intriguing find in the Solnitsata necropolis is a 24-karat gold pendant, which is believed to predate the necropolis by 200-300 years. This makes it the oldest processed gold in Europe, if not the world. Analysis of the bones also showed that the residents of Solnitsat drank cow's milk long before any other society in the world.
7. Hypogeum of Khal-Saflieni
In 1902, masons discovered an underground necropolis on a hill near the town of Paola in Malta. This underground sanctuary, which dates back to 4000 - 2500 BC, is the only known prehistoric underground temple in the world. The hypogeum consists of three layers superimposed on each other.
More than 7,000 human remains and many artifacts such as beads, pottery, amulets and sculptures were found that helped shed light on life during the Maltese period. It is believed that the burials were carried out in several stages. First, the corpse was left to allow the flesh to rot, and then the skeletons were moved to side chambers and covered with red ochre.
8. Wari Kayan Necropolis
Between 1925 and 1929, an expedition of archaeologists went to the coast Central Andes to Peru to explore city of the dead, known as Wari Cayan, which was built by the Paracas culture. Created 2,000 years ago, the burial contained 429 naturally mummified bodies placed in special baskets.
The dry air of the Peruvian Andes kept hair, teeth and flesh intact during this time. The bodies of the Wari Kayan mummies were so well preserved that scientists were able to determine what they ate: a mixture of seafood and land crops. Magnificent embroidered textiles have also been found and are now displayed in museums around the world.
9. Necropolis Ordek
Discovered in 1934 on the edge of China's Taklamakan Desert, the Ordek necropolis is a veritable city of the dead, where burials have been taking place since 2000 BC. to 300 AD Around 300 mummies were found in the complex, buried in what appeared to be overturned boats covered in cowhide. Thanks to the dry climate and salty soil, the bodies were perfectly preserved. The most shocking element of these mummies was their non-Asian appearance. blonde hair And tall.
DNA analysis showed that they were of mixed Eurasian and Siberian origin. Interestingly, the mummies were dressed in tartan clothes, which were used in Europe but were unknown in China at the time. The Ordek necropolis is also notable for the fact that the world's oldest known cheese was found there on the face and neck of one of the mummies.
10. Kiev-Pechersk Lavra
Founded in 1051, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra is located in the hills above the Dnieper River. The monks chose the site because it lies above an extensive cave complex that had been used as a burial site for more than 700 years. The caves contain the remains of the founder of the monastery - St. Anthony of Pechersk, as well as other brothers, monks, ascetics and saints.
Thanks to the local climate and soil, the bodies mummified and can still be seen when going down into the caves. Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries there were rumors that cave complex was so great that it reached Moscow and Novgorod. Although this is an exaggeration, no one except the initiated knows how deep these catacombs go.
