Funeral consumption and social distinction in the early modern Netherlands

Abstract

This thesis aims to establish whether death debts in the early modern Netherlands (drafted in Antwerpen, Doesburg, Lichtenvoorde, Maasland, Maassluis, Medemblik, and Weesp between 1638 and 1800) show that ‘funeral consumption’ ( the money spent on various funerary rites) reflect ‘social distinction’ (the desire of the members of a social class or group to distinguish themselves socially). A thorough, primarily quantitative analysis of the source material demonstrates that funeral consumption was relatively substantial throughout the period 1638-1800 and this high level of expenditure appears to reflect ‘social distinction’.