In keeping with the historical trend, well developed for Western civilisation, of research into attitudes to Death, but it is concerned with the far less studied East, specifically the Turkish world and its attitude to Death. Bringing together a team of specialists belonging to diverse disciplines (ethnology, history, philology, political studies), this study approaches its subject from various angles; although the Ottoman period is central to the study, a lengthy period is touched on, from the ancient Turks of Inner Asia to the present situation in Central Asia and Turkey.
This intriguing work looks into the pre-Islamic Turkic traditions, the role of Islam, and other historical factors involved in the development of Ottoman funeral practices and attitudes to Death, which the present-day Turks have nolens volens inherited.

Contributions by: Eduard Westra, Margreet B. de Boer