Catawissa's Hooded Graves

Catawissa's Hooded Graves 🪦

Protection, but for whom?

The Hooded Grave Cemetery, once known as Mt. Zion Cemetery, near Catawissa, Pennsylvania, features two unique "caged burials". These ornate iron cages, sometimes referred to as "mortsafes," cover the graves of Sarah Ann Boone and Asenath Thomas, who both passed away in 1852 within days of each other. Although a third cage existed at one point, it was removed in the 1930s due to damage.

The exact reasons for these hooded graves remain a bit of a mystery. One theory suggests the cages were a display of wealth by the family. This was an attempt of eternal privacy and privilege. The intricate ironwork might have been a way to showcase their skilled craftsmanship and status. A much more plausible theory centers around the fear of grave robbing during the mid-19th century, when medical schools created a high demand for cadavers. The cages might have served as a deterrent to "resurrectionists" who would exhume bodies for sale. This practice was common, especially outside of Philadelphia due to medical schools. It was a quick cash practice for macabre grave robbers. The corpses of young women fetched the biggest payday due to their rarity.

Local folklore hints at more supernatural explanations, with stories suggesting the corpses were witches, vampires, and even werewolves. The cages were intended to keep them contained within their graves. Now, this theory is purely based on sinister speculation and an attempt to make a macabre story even more so. 💀