1.7 Death and Burial Flashcards
(35 cards)
What was the Greek belief about the soul after death?
It went to the underworld
Who was the Greek ferryman of the dead?
Charon
What did Greeks place in the deceased’s mouth?
Obol (coin) to pay Charon
What was the first stage of a Greek funeral?
Prothesis (laying out the body)
What did Greeks do during the prothesis?
Washed and dressed the body
What was the second stage of a Greek funeral?
Ekphora (procession to the grave)
When did the Greek ekphora typically occur?
Before dawn
What was the common Greek burial method?
Inhumation (burial in the ground)
What did Greeks sometimes use instead of inhumation?
Cremation
What marked Greek graves?
Stele (gravestone with reliefs)
What did Greek gravestones often depict?
Deceased with family or in life
Why did Greeks leave offerings at graves?
To honor and comfort the dead
What river separated the living from the dead in Greek belief?
Styx
What was the Roman belief about the soul after death?
It became a shade in the underworld
Who escorted Roman souls to the underworld?
Mercury (psychopomp)
What coin did Romans place with the dead?
Coin for Charon’s fee
What was the Roman term for the funeral procession?
Pompa funebris
Who carried the Roman body in the pompa funebris?
Professional undertakers (libitinarii)
What was the common Roman burial method early on?
Cremation
What became more common in Roman burial later?
Inhumation
What did Romans use to house ashes after cremation?
Urns or columbaria
What decorated Roman sarcophagi?
Myths (e.g., Persephone) or life scenes
Why did Romans hold a feast after burial?
To honor the dead (silicernium)
What was the Roman festival for the dead?
Lemuria
