Carl Gustafsson Horn’s burial gown

Carl Gustafsson Horn was born on the morning of 27 February 1662 and died on the evening of the same day, living for only half a day. He was buried in the Kankas Chapel of Turku Cathedral on 4 November 1662. The little one was buried in a grand manner befitting his estate, and a memorial poem in German, Schuldige Traurpalme, was also printed for him in Turku. The poem was possibly written by Heinrich Amand, who served as the family tutor.

The ancient way of burying the dead in their best costumes was followed until the late 17th century. The precious fabric and fine lace of Carl Gustafsson Horn’s gown indicate that he was a member of the nobility because the use of similar materials was forbidden for the bourgeoisie. In the 17th century, burial clothing followed the same estate-specific rules as other clothing, and this was pointed out in the luxury regulations of 1664 and 1668, for example. The burial gowns of the high nobility were made of gold or silver fabrics, and the wealthy bourgeoisie and clergy used silk and sometimes velvet. The differences between the various estates were reflected in the materials and decorations, not in the designs of the gowns.

The gown was recovered in 1866 in connection with the renovation work carried out in Turku Cathedral. At the same time, tombs under the church floor were also examined. The coffin of Colonel Gabriel Evertsson Horn, buried in the Kankas Chapel, had also been used to assemble bones and parts of other coffins that were in the same tomb and had broken down over time. The child’s gown was found among these.

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