Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery on millions of items

Delivery Speed
Same-Day Delivery (in select cities)	FREE
Unlimited One-Day Delivery	FREE
Two-Day Delivery	FREE

Buy new:

$39.95

FREE delivery Saturday, November 18. Order within 10 hrs 39 mins. Details

Or fastest delivery Friday, November 17. Details

Delivering to Montreal H3A – Update location

Only 3 left in stock.

$$39.95 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Payment

Secure transaction

Payment

Secure transaction

We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more

Ships from

Amazon.ca

Ships from

Amazon.ca

Sold by

Amazon.ca

Sold by

Amazon.ca

Returns

Returnable until Jan 31, 2024

Returns

Returnable until Jan 31, 2024

For the 2023 holiday season, eligible items purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2023 can be returned until January 31, 2024

Read full return policy

Details

Add gift options

Add to Wish List

Added to

Unable to add item to Wish List. Please try again.

Buy new:

$39.95

FREE pickup Thursday, November 23. Order within 22 hrs 54 mins

BP PLACE LONDON LIFE

233 m | MONTREAL H3A 2A0

How pickup works

Only 3 left in stock.

$$39.95 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

The enhancements that you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller that you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Payment

Secure transaction

Payment

Secure transaction

We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more

Sold by

Amazon.ca

Sold by

Amazon.ca

Returns

Returnable until Jan 31, 2024

Returns

Returnable until Jan 31, 2024

For the 2023 holiday season, eligible items purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2023 can be returned until January 31, 2024

Read full return policy

Details

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Colour:

To view this video, download Flash Player

Follow the author

Paul Koudounaris

Follow

Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures And Spectacular Saints From The Catacombs Hardcover – Illustrated, Nov. 5 2013

by Paul Koudounaris (Author)

4.9 494 ratings

See all formats and editions

Amazon Price

New from

Used from

Hardcover, Illustrated

"Please retry"

$39.95

$30.32

$30.00

Hardcover
$39.95

2 Used from $30.00 15 New from $30.32 1 Collectible from $106.95

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$39.95","priceAmount":39.95,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"39","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"95","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"LiyWHrINT9dMgJavROOOMu5LDknerxK80yo2pwNmAqMEzFz9UNEhV9YkrVDKV%2BPS%2F5%2B9NpyDx1s7WWv6GbYDWxhXcaXFmJjaID6KnQRZxa07d%2BO5IIWuXU2vh3IWKm7HeGYVZNaWnVc%3D","locale":"en-CA","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}],"desktop_buybox_group_2":[{"displayPrice":"$39.95","priceAmount":39.95,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"39","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"95","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"LiyWHrINT9dMgJavROOOMu5LDknerxK80yo2pwNmAqMEzFz9UNEhV9YkrVDKV%2BPS%2F5%2B9NpyDx1s7WWv6GbYDWxhXcaXFmJjaID6KnQRZxa07d%2BO5IIWuXU2vh3IWKm7HeGYVZNaWnVc%3D","locale":"en-CA","buyingOptionType":"PICKUP","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

An intriguing visual history of the veneration in European churches and monasteries of bejeweled and decorated skeletons

Death has never looked so beautiful. The fully articulated skeleton of a female saint, dressed in an intricate costume of silk brocade and gold lace, withered fingers glittering with colorful rubies, emeralds, and pearls—this is only one of the specially photographed relics featured in Heavenly Bodies.

In 1578 news came of the discovery in Rome of a labyrinth of underground tombs, which were thought to hold the remains of thousands of early Christian martyrs. Skeletons of these supposed saints were subsequently sent to Catholic churches and religious houses in German-speaking Europe to replace holy relics that had been destroyed in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. The skeletons, known as “the catacomb saints,” were carefully reassembled, richly dressed in fantastic costumes, wigs, crowns, jewels, and armor, and posed in elaborate displays inside churches and shrines as reminders to the faithful of the heavenly treasures that awaited them after death.

Paul Koudounaris gained unprecedented access to religious institutions to reveal these fascinating historical artifacts. Hidden for over a century as Western attitudes toward both the worship of holy relics and death itself changed, some of these ornamented skeletons appear in publication here for the first time.

Print length

192 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Thames and Hudson
Publication date

Nov. 5 2013
Dimensions

18.03 x 2.54 x 24.89 cm
ISBN-10

0500251959
ISBN-13

978-0500251959
See all details

Frequently bought together

Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures And Spectacular Saints From The Catacombs

$39.95

Get it by Saturday, Nov 18

Only 3 left in stock.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.

+

The Empire of Death: A Cultural History Of Ossuaries And Charnel Houses

$66.00

Get it by Saturday, Nov 18

Only 5 left in stock (more on the way).

Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.

Total price:

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Try again!

Details

Added to Cart

One of these items ships sooner than the other.

Show details Hide details

Choose items to buy together.

Paul Koudounaris
249
Hardcover
$66.00
Get it by Saturday, Nov 18
FREE Shipping by Amazon
Only 5 left in stock (more on the way).
Paul Koudounaris
202
Hardcover
$53.39
Get it by Saturday, Nov 18
FREE Shipping by Amazon
Only 6 left in stock (more on the way).
Dr. Paul Koudounaris
577
Hardcover
$29.50
Get it by Thursday, Nov 23
$7.37 shipping
Only 1 left in stock.

Product description

Review

These macabre images elicit a range of contemporary references, from Goonies to bling-laden rappers to artist Damien Hirst’s diamond-encrusted skull.—Wired.com

Perhaps this book is not the originator of the phrase 'skeletons in your closet,' but if it were, that closet would be looking quite stupendous.—Dazed Digital

An art historian nicknamed ‘Indiana Bones’ has unearthed a haunting collection of jewel-encrusted skeletons which were hidden in churches in Europe up to 400 years ago.—New York Post

Photographer and author Paul Koudounaris gained unprecedented access to these so-called ‘catacomb saints’ for his new book Heavenly Bodies. Many had never been photographed for publication before. Revered as spiritual objects and then reviled as a source of embarrassment for the Church, their uneven history is marked by one constant: a mysterious, if unsettling, beauty.—CNN.com

A compelling read. . . . The gorgeous photos that accompany the text only reaffirm the opulence of such relics.—Gothic Beauty

Smart and accessible, Heavenly Bodies opens the door to this largely overlooked aspect of the Counter Reformation era. —Hi-Fructose

Prepared to be amazed by the splendor and beauty of ornamented skeletal remains.—Palm Springs Life

Koudounaris takes his subject beyond historical rubbernecking and looks at how bodies can move the spirit—and why we can’t let go and can’t look away.—The North Coast Journal

Brings to life a group of long-forgotten Catholic relics.—Lapham's Quarterly

Investigates the historic attempts to prescribe posthumous identities to skeletons, specifically those believed to be martyrs.—Vice.com

Oh, you didn’t know the skeletons of martyrs were unabashedly decked out in gems? Welcome to the club.—BuzzFeed

Focuses on the life and history of a set of false relics in the Catholic Church.—The Desert Sun

The images of the catacomb saints are dazzling, almost beyond belief.—Publishers Weekly

This macabre mash-up of camp and Catholicism features nearly 100 drop-dead images of blinged-out skeletons.—Passport Magazine

A strange and fascinating book exploring bejeweled Counter Reformation Catholic Skeletons.—American Society of Jewelry Historians

Magnificently illustrated. . . . An illuminating read for jewelry historians and gemologists alike.—Gems and Gemology

The photography by Koudounaris is outstanding. He was given access that most tourists touting a camera are not.—Examiner.com

Koudounaris is one of the first people to photograph the strangely stunning skeletons that have been rediscovered over the years. And while he can't speak to their authenticity as saints, he does believe that they are extraordinary works of art that deserve to be seen.—People.com

In telling the story of these extraordinary relics, Koudounaris makes a case for them as neglected masterpieces of religious art. . . . Koudounaris uncovers a lost world of religious devotion, in which sanctified remains could control the weather, save souls from purgatory, and serve as all-purpose patrons.—Los Angeles Review of Books

About the Author

Paul Koudounaris received his doctorate from the art history department at UCLA. His previous books include The Empire of Death and Heavenly Bodies. He lives in Los Angeles.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thames and Hudson; Illustrated edition (Nov. 5 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0500251959
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0500251959
Item weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 kg
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 18.03 x 2.54 x 24.89 cm

Best Sellers Rank: #307,136 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #385 in Catholic Saints
- #436 in Decorative Arts
- #1,628 in Antiques & Collectibles (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.9 494 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Paul Koudounaris

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

PhD, Art History UCLA; I live in Los Angeles, CA, USA. I photograph and write about some very fascinating dead people throughout the world. Will be back in the UK for an appearance at the Bram Stoker Film Festival in October of 2015--more details will be forthcoming, or check with the festival website for general information.

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from Canada

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

MUST BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED

Reviewed in Canada on September 1, 2016

Verified Purchase

This [to me] represents a fascinating and bizarre side eddy of European Catholicism. My introduction to the subject was seeing a bizarrely bejewelled skeleton under an altar in Old St Peter's Church in Munich. It was labeled St Perdita, patroness of single women. This book tells and richly illustrates the hundreds of skeletons of alleged Roman martyrs, exported to Northern Europe to replace the relics destroyed in the vandalisms of the so-called Reformation. The newly rediscovered Roman catacombs were ransacked of remains assumed to be Roman martyrs, though it turns out that some are post Edict of Toleration. Some were identifiable; anonymous ones were given names and shipped north, mainly to German lands reconverted from Protestant to Catholic and denuded of art, statues, stained glass, and relics. The remains were extravagantly decorated, with macabre results to the modern eye, many later debunked and hidden away. I found it fun and fascinating reading.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Great read

Reviewed in Canada on January 9, 2016

Verified Purchase

This book is fascinating (if you're into death and skeletons and different ways of preserving the dead in other cultures).
Lots of high quality colour photos in this book. It's worth just the photos alone, but contains lots of information about this type of preservation and where all of these skeletons can be found.
Great coffee table book!

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Pretty bones.

Reviewed in Canada on March 2, 2016

Verified Purchase

Proof that the old ways were certainly weird and kinda awesome. I expect no less than to be buried like this. Or possibly kept on display for my family's generations to come.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Ashok Verma

Sad

Reviewed in Canada on April 4, 2019

Verified Purchase

Easygoing

Reviewed in Canada on May 15, 2016

Verified Purchase

Wonderful quality in pictures and content

One person found this helpful

Helpful

eric newstead

Love it

Reviewed in Canada on January 28, 2014

Verified Purchase

Beautiful , lugubrious , interesting , stunning , I collect books on this subject and this is one of the prettiest I own

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

MICHEL - BERNARD

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on October 13, 2015

Verified Purchase

INTRIGUANT, LES PHOTOS SONT SPLENDIDES.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Martel5

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on November 26, 2014

Verified Purchase

LOVE

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Toni Bautista

Sugar Skulls - nope

Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2023

Verified Purchase

Any Catholics you know who have a problem with Dia de Los Muertos and the decorating of Sugar Skulls?? This is a great book. It does NOT explain that Dia de los Muertos and Ofrendas are NOT the same thing as the satanic, santa muerte practices. However, it helps people understand that it was not something out of the ordinary to decorate skulls of the dead, especially people you admired. Great pictures...it tries to be objective in the explaination of the catacombs, but I find it to lack the conservative view of why people did this.

Ian Scanlan

Increíble

Reviewed in Mexico on May 24, 2023

Verified Purchase

Excelente calidad, extraordinarias imágenes, súpero mis expectativas.

Translate review to English

ana

Gorgous book!

Reviewed in Spain on January 27, 2023

Verified Purchase

Incredible art collection for macabre and skull lovers.

Xenia

A must have

Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2023

Verified Purchase

This book is amazing, I got it for my partner and she absolutely loves it. The quality is amazing and the photos in it are jaw dropping.

A. Hurst

Melancholy Macabre in the Altars of the Catacomb Saints

Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2014

Verified Purchase

From the publisher, Thames & Hudson:

"In 1578 a labyrinth of underground burials was discovered in Rome that contained the remains of thousands of individuals assumed to be early Christian martyrs. The bones were disinterred and sent to many Catholic churches and religious houses in German-speaking Europe to replace holy relics that had been destroyed during the Protestant Reformation. Reassembled by skilled artisans, encrusted with gold and jewels and richly dressed in fantastic costumes, the skeletons were displayed in elaborate public shrines as reminders of the spiritual treasures that awaited the faithful after death. For nearly three centuries these ‘Heavenly Bodies’ were venerated as miracle-workers and protectors of their communities until doubts about their authenticity surfaced in the modern era. They then became a source of embarrassment for the Church and most were destroyed or hidden away.

The book includes arresting images of more than seventy spectacular jeweled skeletons and the fascinating stories of dozens more, accompanied by rare archive material. This is the first time that some of these incredible relics – both intriguing historical artifacts and masterpieces of artistic craftsmanship in their own right – have appeared in a publication, with Koudounaris gaining unprecedented access to photograph in some of the most secretive religious establishments in Europe.Meticulously researched and beautifully written, this is a tour de force of original cultural history with deepest resonances for a modern audience fascinated by visual representations of death."

More than a photography book, Heavenly Bodies is a beautifully haunting history of the catacomb saints taken from Rome by the Catholic Church centuries ago. Koudoumaris does a fantastic job of weaving the tale of the discovery of the skeletons, their issue to the towns that revered them, and the eventual, horrific downfall of their esteem. I found the narrative extremely easy to digest, and fascinating on so many levels.

Decidedly Gothic in style and feeling, the catacomb saints have been seen as holy relics, and as disgusting displays of hypocrisy. Wisely refusing to engage in a theological debate, Koudoumaris outlines in sympathy the "life" and fate of these exquisitely decorated skeletons.

Originally numbering in the hundreds of thousands, these days only a handful of the catacomb saints remain, having been put away in storage or caskets, destroyed, or vandalised. Many have passed out of history all together.

Though macabre, the photography was absolutely gorgeous, and the high-quality paper and print of the book made it an absolute pleasure to look through and observe. Something deeply unsettling reaches out through the pictures, as if they are alive in their intimate, reticulated poses, with Koudoumaris's camera portraying the melancholy and sadness in the silence of their altars. Truly one of the best photography books I have seen in a long while, about a subject exceedingly interesting and unique.

Though I wish I could show you every photo, I instead insist you go out and get a copy, because it deserves a slot on your bookshelf. While you're waiting for it to be delivered, you can check out this small Pinterest board:

http://www.pinterest.com/rollen1000/heavenly-bodies-the-catacomb-saints/

9 people found this helpful

See more reviews

Amazon Music Stream millions of songs	Amazon Advertising Find, attract and engage customers	Amazon Business Everything for your business	Amazon Drive Cloud storage from Amazon	Amazon Web Services Scalable Cloud Computing Services

Goodreads Book reviews & recommendations	IMDb Movies, TV & Celebrities	Amazon Photos Unlimited Photo Storage Free With Prime	Shopbop Designer Fashion Brands	Warehouse Deals Open-Box Discounts

	Whole Foods Market We Believe in Real Food	Amazon Renewed Like-new products you can trust	Blink Smart Security for Every Home

Enjoy Prime FREE for 30 days

Buy new:

$39.95

Buy new:

$39.95

Image Unavailable

Follow the author

Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures And Spectacular Saints From The Catacombs Hardcover – Illustrated, Nov. 5 2013

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Customers who bought this item also bought

Product description

Review

About the Author

Product details

About the author

Paul Koudounaris

Customer reviews

Top reviews from Canada

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Enjoy Prime FREE for 30 days

Buy new: $39.95

Sorry, there was a problem.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Buy new: $39.95

Follow the author

Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures And Spectacular Saints From The Catacombs Hardcover – Illustrated, Nov. 5 2013

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Customers who bought this item also bought

Product description

Review

About the Author

Product details

About the author

Paul Koudounaris

Customer reviews

Top reviews from Canada

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Buy new:

$39.95

Buy new:

$39.95