Manaus of the dead: cemetery space in the search for modernity (1854-1906)

Abstract

This paper discusses the process of spatial transformation in the city of Manaus from the second half of the nineteenth century as it aspired to modernity; this process was initially driven by the elevation of Amazonas to the category of province (with Manaus as the capital), and later by the wealth resulting from the rubber trade. Here, these transformations focus on cemetery space as part of a larger scenario of changes throughout the country as medical and sanitary precepts defending control measures to make urban space healthier became more widely disseminated. This discourse was in line with urban reforms that were becoming more solidified in Europe at the time, demonstrating efforts to adapt to what was believed to be the path to progress.

Keywords
Manaus; Cemeteries; Urban space; Modernity