There are columbariums and there are columbariums
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325808)
Rockingham, Australia
December 13, 2017 7:02pm CST
@RasmaSandra recently wrote a post about a monument erected by the Federation Nationale des Societes Colombophiles in honour of carrier pigeons and their contribution to the French army during World War I. The word ‘colombophiles’ translates as ‘fanciers’ but I presume that means ‘pigeon/dove-fanciers’.
Colombophiles reminds me of columbariums which are now places where the ashes of loved ones can be stowed. However columbariums were once specialised dove-cotes or pigeon-houses. These might contain hundreds of ‘holes’ where the pigeons could nest in safety. In medieval times, only the nobility were allowed to have pigeons. They were an important part of life providing meat, eggs and manure which was valued as fertiliser. We saw many examples of columbariums on our travels through France, Ireland and Germany.
Getting back to the other meaning of the word, our former parish has installed a columbarium and we’re about to purchase a ‘pigeon-hole’ where our ashes can be placed when we’re gone. We can pay for it now and it will be one less thing for our ‘kids’ to worry about.
The photo is of the columbarium at the Da Vinci museum at the Chateau de Clos-Lucé in the Loire Valley, France.
25 people like this
24 responses
@misunderstood_zombie (8142)
• United States
14 Dec 17
I've never heard of this before. I'm not sure we have those in the US--usually people spread the ashes or keep them in an urn. Really nice of you to take away that particular worry from your children.
5 people like this
@JudyEv (325808)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Dec 17
Lots of people here choose to spread ashes too or there might be a wall that will hold urns. I guess columbarium is a 'flash' name for such places. Our boys live many miles from us and it will be very difficult for them logistically when we go. So we're doing what we can to make it a bit easier.
3 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
14 Dec 17
That is very good planning. What a huge pigeon roost that place was. I did not know that info about pigeons being so important way back then. They are mostly nuisances now.
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
14 Dec 17
@JudyEv Fascinating. Have you written about how your ancestors came to Australia?
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325808)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Dec 17
@JamesHxstatic No, a cousin has done a comprehensive book about our ancestry but it is very expensive. We bought a copy for our son but that's now in Ireland. I think I have a 'soft' copy that we were sent for proofing. I must try to find it. I suppose I sound a bit uninterested but it is what it is. I know they came out seeking religious freedom.
@JudyEv (325808)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Dec 17
I can't remember the figures now but I think I read on one of the notices that it took several hectares of farmland to support one pigeon. I know I was amazed at the figures. Here is a pretty but much small columbarium in Osterwieck, Germany, where my ancestors came from way back.
3 people like this
@Letranknight2015 (51532)
• Philippines
14 Dec 17
I have never seen this structure my entire life. I thought this was just another cemetery for the cremated ones. Thank you for sharing anyways.
4 people like this
@RasmaSandra (73444)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
14 Dec 17
Thank you for sharing this. That is fascinating. Amazing photo. Yes, I guess that is a good thing.
3 people like this
@yanzalong (18984)
• Indonesia
14 Dec 17
You must be very lucky to be able to travel to Europe.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325808)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Dec 17
We have a son who lives in Ireland and we try to visit him from time to time. It is a long way to travel so we have stayed quite a while each time. In 2015 we spent five months in Ireland,Great Britain and on the continent and in 2017 we had 4 months in France and Ireland. We bought a second-hand motor-home and travelled around in that which was much cheaper as we were able to get our own meals.
@Butchcass4 (5895)
• United States
14 Dec 17
Thanks for sharing that very insightful information especially on the doves. We get a lot of doves in our yard digging for the seed that falls from the bird feeder. We have certainly advanced since that age where pigeons were used to communicate!
1 person likes this
@Butchcass4 (5895)
• United States
16 Dec 17
@JudyEv O my that is hysterical just thinking about the kids today having to rely on pigeons, of course things were a whole lot different back then too. People had to work hard just to eat and they weren't a microwave society either! When post offices were finally in place that was a huge step in society. Little by little everyone came on board with it. Now mostly what you get in the mail is junk!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325808)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Dec 17
@Butchcass4 Our postage charges have gone up to glory. I'm sure they are trying to make us all go online for everything.
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
14 Dec 17
I didn't even know there is such a thing. I wonder how it turned to be a place to stow ashes from its original use as pigeon-houses.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325808)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Dec 17
Reading back over my post I can understand how I've confused you. I mean that the word 'colombarium' is now used for a place where ashes can be stored but the same word was once used for extensive pigeon-houses. I didn't mean to imply that the one building was used for both.
The main photo is of an ancient colombarium at the Chateau du Clos Luce which once housed pigeons. It isn't used for anything now. Hope that clears up the situation.
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
14 Dec 17
Interesting. I've never even heard the word before.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
15 Dec 17
@JudyEv - Cool. Looks really neat, knowing the story now.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
15 Dec 17
Who knew pigeons were so important. Thanks for the post!
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
15 Dec 17
@JudyEv Yes, that's right. I prefer doves over pigeons.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130064)
• India
14 Dec 17
There is never an end to learning and it becomes easy with posts such as this. What is worrying is that what if pigeons mistake what is meant for ashes to be their nests?
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
27 Dec 17
I knew that a columbarium is a building to place ashes so I was completely thrown off by the fact about the pigeons but I guess it really is a pideon hole. We have a 6 grave plot in our historic cemetery.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Dec 17
How interesting! I never knew that Judy!
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
14 Dec 17
Oh dear, that's sort of sad.... I think I like the pigeon house meaning better
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