By Dania Alvarado

This StoryMap will explore the religious differences in burial practices between the three Abrahamic faiths: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity across Morocco and Spain. From individual unmarked graves to elaborate architecture and sculptures, this project will explore six historical sites that serve as the final resting place for everyday faithfuls and for influential monarchs. Burial sites are a remembrance of the past and present, not only displaying the theological doctrines governing the funeral rites of the dead, but also the current preservation efforts of the local community and government, and the reverence and respect provided to upkeep the memory and physical remains of those lost. This project will also dive into how Muslims and Jews share the common practice of venerating saints, often the same ones, and how saints are incorporated into the ornate sepultures of Catholicism. While some of these graves are located in traditional cemeteries, there are stark differences in the multifunctionality of others, functioning as monuments, community spaces, and places of adoration. The StoryMap will showcase the ideologies of memory, power, and perpetual existence.