death and burial

• What did Romans do for the peperation of the body?

  funeral club to support less wealthy members of ROman society
• peperation of body:

  • relatives capture last breath with kiss and call out deceased name (R) v.s eyes and mouth closed (G)
  • body place in artrium for 8 days for relatives pay respect v.s woman start lamen e.g. cut their hair
• What are the similarities of Roman and Greek in the peperation of body

  • body is washed and perfume
  • a coin will be place on mouth = payment for charon
• Funeral procession:

  Rome:

  • wear funeral mask, as an acceptance of deceased into afterlife
  • wealthy family pay for profession mouners and actors

  Greece:

  • ekphora, funeral procession from house to ground
  • deceased carry on a wagon with aulos player
• Burial of the body:

  similarites: avoid tomb uniformities

  • Tomb along the road as remeberance (r) v.s outside to prevent pollution

  Greece:

  • body is either buried / cremated: aashes cool down in urn = place grave = family add gift to assist the journey
  • sacrafice: blood released to the ground = offer Hades and Persephone
• Festivals for dead and ancestors Rome:

  • The Parentalia in Feb ( 9 days)

  1. rest day
  2. blood sacrafice by vestal virgin on 1st day
  3. family share meal on 9th day and offer the dead a meal at the tomb

  • The Lemuria in May ( 3 days)

  1. rest day
  2. ward off evil spirit
  3. clean hands with spring water and throw black beans on their face = ask evil spirit to leave the house
• Festivals for dead and ancestors

  Geece

  • anthesteria in Jan (3 days)

  celebration of the maturing of wine = Dionysus

  1. dead return to earth = libation of wine pour for D
  2. drinking contest + libation on grave for ancestor
  3. dead return underworld + family make offerings to God Hermes (travel to underworld)

  • Genesia in Sep

  1. decorate grave with ribbons and offer food and sacrafice
• What is prothesis?

  • For Greeks, the deceased will be laid out for 2 days to receieve mouners = gave chance for family to pay respect
  • bowl of water placed outside for people to wash afer they left to prevent pollution
• What is lament?

  woman cut their hair, dress in shabby black clothing, beating their chest to express sorrow
• What is ekphora?

  The funeral procession from the house of the deceased to burial ground
• Why was the restig place outside the city?

  reove religious pollution and spread of diseases
• Kerameikos


  main burial ground in Athens
• How do the family assist the deceased n their journey to underworld?

  By adding burial gifts to the grave
• Why a stele need to be set up?

  so that deceased can be remember. If they neglect diseased grave, it will dishonour their family memory
• What can the stele be carved about?

  • a scuptor to carve a relief on the stele that reflect the deceased in life
  • display family wealth and statues
  • commemoration of diseased
• Once the deceased is burial what will take place?

  sacrafice. The blood of victim release on the earth as an offfering to Hades and Persepone.
• How often do the Greeks pay respect

  • mourning last for 30 days
  • 3 days in which the family are obliged to visit the deceased
  • Then on an annual basis
• For Anthesteria, what is different from the normal offerings?

  • the living are not allowed to eat any food
• What do people believe about treating the dead

  No matter their social statues or wealth, they should still received a proper burial
• Where would the wealthy romans bury the deceased?

  along the road that led into the city or town = people can pay respect
• How do funeral clubs work?

  • pay monthly fee to join club
  • club met for meat and getherings = opportunity to make social connections
  • workers of the same trade will set up their own club
• What is artrium?

  The main room of Roman domus where family can pay respect
• what is funeral mask?

  • made by placing wax on deceased face
  • when it is dry taken off and sored in family shrine
  • acceptance of deceased into afterlife
  • family would wear them as well
• When does the roman funeral take place?

  • 8 ddays after death
  • pay for professional mouners to join the procession
  • pay for actor to mimic deceased
• Where do the Roman bury the deceased?

  • streets line with tomb to resemble house and temples
  • rich placed their death in carved sarcophagi, whic contains reliefs of mythological battles and heros
  • marble bust would be made and placed in the house
  • believed dead will turn into manes ( spirits of dead)
  • expect to leave food and wine offerings
• Where is this from?


  Ekphora scene from Greek vase

  
• Where is this?

  Kerameikos

  
• What is this

  The funerary stele of Hegesto

  
• What is this?

  sarcophagi

  
• What is this?

  Roman funeral procession

  
• What race the woman will be lament with water for purification outside the house making sure the eye and mouth of deceases is close?

  Greek