Death and Burial - Online lesson notes

Death and Burial

Greece

Prothesis

Everyone should have a proper burial. Symbolic burials were given to those who could not be buried (e.g lost at sea) without a proper burial, you could not cross the Acheron.

1. The eyes and mouth were closed

2. Body was washed and perfumed

3. A coin is placed on the mouth – payment for Charon

Prothesis: Laying out of the body that lasted 2 days. A bowl of water was placed outside for visitors to wash their hands.

Women would lament

Cut their hair, dressed in shabby black clothing, flailed their arms, beat their chests, cry and wail. 

Ekphora

On the third day of mourning before dawn. From the procession led from the house the burial ground. The Athenian burial ground was the kerameikos. Pallbearers or a wagon would carry the deceased. Aulos players would acompony the procession. Women would lament. 

Burial had to be outside the city, to prevent miasma which would cause a plague.

Cremation:

A pyre would be built and then lit, the ash and bones bron the body would be collected in an urn jar and given to the family. The urn would be placed in a shrine, tomb or a grave. The family would add gifts to the grave like food for the journey across the acheron and some graves were marked with stelai. 

A lekythos was used for anointing dead bodies of unmarried women and my lekythoi were found in tombs. Depictd daily activities, rituals and funerary situations that showcased loss or a sense of departure. Contained perfume oil to offer to the deap person. They were painted on white backgorund

Sacrifice

Sacrfifice differed from regular sacrifice as blood was poured on the poured and allowed to soak into the earth.

30 day mourning period began, family visited the grave on the 3rd day, 9th day and 13th day. 

Anthesteria

3 days in late January, Early Febuary. Celebrated the maturing of wine in honour of…