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Burial Practices and Afterlife Beliefs in Greece

Apr 2, 2025

Death, Burial, and the Afterlife in Ancient Greece

Overview

  • Ancient Greeks believed the psyche (spirit) left the body at death as a breath or puff of wind.
  • Proper burial rites were important and included several key stages.

Burial Rituals

  1. Prothesis (Laying Out of the Body)

    • The body was washed, anointed with oil, dressed, and placed on a high bed.
    • Relatives and friends mourned and paid respects.
    • Scenes of lamentation often depicted on Greek vases.
  2. Ekphora (Funeral Procession)

    • Occurred usually just before dawn.
    • The body was taken to the cemetery.
    • Few objects placed in graves; however, markers were often elaborate.
    • Immortality was linked to the memory of the deceased by the living.
  3. Interment

    • Bodies were buried or cremated.
    • Markers included earth mounds, rectangular tombs, and marble stelai and statues.
    • Women regularly visited graves with offerings.

Funerary Monuments

  • Athenian Monuments

    • Aristocratic families erected lavish monuments in the 6th century B.C.
    • Monuments included relief sculptures, statues, and stelai with epitaphs.
    • Reliefs often depicted the deceased, with family members and possessions.
  • Kerameikos Cemetery

    • Located outside Athens' city wall.
    • Used for centuries with well-preserved tomb layouts.
    • Families buried their dead in stone sarcophagi in terraced grave precincts.
    • Marble monuments placed along terrace edges.

Notable Aspects

  • Ancient Greek art and literature emphasize the significance of proper burial practices.
  • Funeral rites were seen as a reflection of respect and dignity for the deceased.
  • Visual depictions of mourning were common from the Geometric period onward.

Contributors and Further Reading

  • Contributors: Department of Greek and Roman Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Further Reading:
    • Garland, Robert. The Greek Way of Death.
    • Grant, Michael, and John Hazel. Who's Who in Classical Mythology.
    • Others listed in the original document.

Additional Information

  • Monuments and their decorations were brightly painted.
  • The afterlife in Greek mythology was not considered a pleasant place, as depicted in Homer’s Odyssey.
  • Monuments served as a means to ensure continued remembrance of the deceased.