> I was looking into the history of religious military orders to use as a basis for the paladin-analogues in my novel and discovered the Order of the Holy Sepulchre refers to a tomb. So I went down the rabbit hole and discovered... ## Fun Facts - A sepulchre specifically refers to rock-cut room, typically cut into a cave, such as Christ's tomb. - A hypogaeum is an underground tomb, such as the Thebian necropolis. The term is interchangeable with catacomb. - The Maya used cinnabar to dye the bones of their dead red before interring them. - A kurgan (typically associated with Scythian culture) is a type of burial mound where a single person is buried along with grave vessels, weapons and horses. - Many fairies of Celtic lore are traditionally thought to inhabit the ancient barrows and cairns of Ireland. ## **Bacteria Destroy Monuments** Although the degradation of monuments and buildings is usually blamed on weather, but some [microbes cause deterioration](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081027140819.htm) because of how they interact with salt in the air. ## **Vaulted Tombs Collapse** The early Minoans, on Crete, continued to use their circular vaulted tombs — called tholos tombs — even after roof collapse. They apparently [buried their dead on top of the fallen stones](http://www.minoancrete.com/yerokambos.htm). ## **Lines of Mounds** The Scythians — horse nomads who gave rise to myths of the Amazons — built [burial mounds in straight lines](https://blog.britishmuseum.org/scythians-ice-mummies-and-burial-mounds/) on the Eurasian steppes. They also practiced mummification. ## **Location, Location, Location** Many tombs, including [the pyramid tombs of the Maya](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/oct/14/mayan-tombs-snake-kings-holmul-guatemala), are located in, under, or beside religious buildings like temples & churches.