31-07-2025
Travel
Funeral rites and afterlife beliefs in ancient Greece
Funeral ceremonies in Homer's time. Let's begin a journey between human farewell rites and divinities.
Man has always wondered about the afterlife and whether an afterlife truly exists.
And so even in ancient Greece, home of philosophers and poets, there was a specific vision and ritualization of death.
At the time there was a strong respect for the deceased and great importance was given to the protection of the body, which had to be given a worthy burial, to ensure that the soul reached the Elysian fields and prevent it from wandering lost forever.
In Greek culture, the body, before being burned on a pyre, was washed and prepared with perfumed oils to be displayed to the family. The ashes were kept in an urn buried on the ground.
There were then sacrifices to honor the deities and flowers and coins were left on the tomb to "pay" Charon, responsible for ferrying souls to the afterlife. Honey cakes were used to appease Cerberus, the three-headed dog and guardian of Hades.
We have inherited a lot about the culture of respect for the deceased from ancient Greece, the cradle of modern culture.
And so even in ancient Greece, home of philosophers and poets, there was a specific vision and ritualization of death.
Ancient Greeks didn't believe in an afterlife of joy and happiness.
The afterlife was believed to be a nefarious place populated by shadows heartbroken by nostalgia for their lost life.At the time there was a strong respect for the deceased and great importance was given to the protection of the body, which had to be given a worthy burial, to ensure that the soul reached the Elysian fields and prevent it from wandering lost forever.
In Greek culture, the body, before being burned on a pyre, was washed and prepared with perfumed oils to be displayed to the family. The ashes were kept in an urn buried on the ground.
There were then sacrifices to honor the deities and flowers and coins were left on the tomb to "pay" Charon, responsible for ferrying souls to the afterlife. Honey cakes were used to appease Cerberus, the three-headed dog and guardian of Hades.
We have inherited a lot about the culture of respect for the deceased from ancient Greece, the cradle of modern culture.