History of Funeral Service - Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece (1600 BC - 529 AD)

Polytheistic in beliefs; Funeral customs were indicative of the "harsher lot" of life; Leaned towards more barbaric customs of cremation; Less assurance of an afterlife (very pessimistic view); Early belief was that the dead lived a bodily existence under the earth; Later, it gave way to the concept of a "shadowy afterlife peopled by disembodied souls"

Mt. Olympus

Earth and sky were created by the Titans- bore the Olympians and lived on Mt. Olympus; Zeus was the supreme god and Hera was his jealous wife; Hades - God of the Dead and the Underworld.

Rhadamanthus, Aeacus, & Minos

Judges of the dead

Furies

Goddesses of Vengeance to Judge the soul

Elysian Fields

Final resting place for the righteous, heroic, or those "chosen" by the gods; average person ended up in the realm of Hades, thus reinforcing the belief that people are not inherently "good".

River Styx

River in which Hermes took souls to Hades in the underworld; escorted by Charon (the ferryman), in which the deceased had to pay to cross; those without payment would wander the shorelines for 100 years

Coin (Obol)

Coin placed in mouth of the deceased as payment for Charon to cross the River Styx

Cerberus

Three-headed hound that guards Hades/the entrance to the underworld; can be appeased by being given a "honey cake" as a gift

Cult of Dionysius

God of wine/ecstasy/fertility; Some believed that good souls journey up to be united with Dionysius; Generally believed this was reserved for a select few; Mystery cult; Most believed death was evil and terrifying; Hopelessness and despair

Death Beliefs

Extreme reverence for the dead; Burial common, but cremation was practiced when bodies were not able to be returned home; Pyres constructed for those dying in battle, gathered bones to return home

Suttee

Human sacrifices to appease Gods

Upon Death

Preparation by female family members and children; Washing of the body with warm water; Ritualistic as thought to "revive" the dead; Laying out of the body in state flowers, honey cake, coins; Viewing was often done to "confirm" the death; Professional mourners; One day laying in state for the average person (up to 7 days for those of "social prestige"); Funeral feasts prepared to allow for fellowship "mourning" behavior

Coffins

Wood, Stone and Clay-baked; Body was placed on a bier and transported to family tombs; Artistic ornaments: Jewels, Vessles/Urns, Wreaths, Painted Vases, Wheat

Tombs - Stelae

Upright slab of stone

Tombs - Kiones

Columns

Tombs - Trapezae

Square cut tombs

Tombs - Naidia

Temple-like buildings