Death - The Last Taboo - Australian Museum

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Death - The Last Taboo

Throughout the world, death and the rituals that surround it are steeped in taboos. Death is celebrated, embraced and feared. Around death and the dead, cultures put in place diverse restrictions and practices associated with clothing, food and ritual. This section of the Australian Museum website explores what happens to us when we die and the different ways we deal with death. Please note - this site contains strong graphic images and descriptions.

What is death?

Death begins when the heart stops beating. Deprived of oxygen, a cascade of cellular death commences, beginning with brain cells and ending with skin cells. Death is a process rather than an event.

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Decomposition - Corpse Fauna

Decomposition

Decomposition is the natural biological process that occurs after death. See the different stages of decomposition, including the fauna responsible, and how this may become forensic evidence.

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Stages of Decomposition

What happens after death?

Many natural and human processes occur after our death. Information is presented about the role of morgues, mortuaries and autopsies.

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Cremation Process - Rookwood Gardens

Disposing of the dead

The treatment of the dead through burial, cremation, preservation, and exposure of the body to carrion-feeders or the elements reflects a diversity of attitudes and beliefs about death and what it means.