Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: burial rituals

  • On eating the heart of the Sun King, Louis XIV

    Since time immemorial it has been the custom of certain cultures to bury the heart of deceased kings or rulers separately from their body. This practice has spanned centuries and reflected a variety of different religious, political, and cultural beliefs. For example, ancient Egyptians believed the heart was the seat of the soul and placed…