The Bell del Mortis

The bell of the dead.

So on Saturday, rather than doing my work, I went out on the Harley and rode to the area surrounding Carthage Missouri. It was there I came across a small country cemetary and in the middle of it was a large bell.

What was the bell there for? Many years ago in New Orleans, people would put a medium size bell on their grave with the pull going inside the grave. This was before embalming became a common practice. That way if they were buried alive they could summon help. But this bell seemed too big for that.

Perhaps it was used to summon mourners for the funeral. Could it have been used to call the cemetary attendants.

Maybe it was there to wake the dead at the Last Trump of God for the Final Judgment. Who knows? If you have any ideas on why there would be a big bell in a small country cemetary, Please let me know.

Pictures above.

H.D.