Athenian Death Rituals

Death Rituals
According to Athenians, upon death, the spirit of the dead also referred to as psyche left the body with little puff or breathe of wind. Accordingly, proper rituals needed to be carried out for the deceased to prepare them for the burial by laid out procedures. Proper, detailed and procedural burial rites were to be conducted without omission of any rite otherwise the human dignity would be profoundly insulted. Relatives of the departed, primarily women, directed and conducted the elaborate and decorated burial rituals customarily of three parts. The first part entailed lying out of the body (prothesis). Later funeral procession (ekphora) was carried out, and finally, the body of the deceased was either cremated or interned/caged. Graveside rituals, primarily for the influential members of the community or leaders were conducted. These included having a meal and other libations. Some leaders were so influential that sacrifices could be conducted during the funeral ceremony to honor their departed souls and prepare them for an afterlife. After washing the deceased was anointed with oil, dressed and then placed on a lifted bed inside the house. Friends and relatives mourned and paid their last respects. Deceased was later carried to the cemetery in a different procession, usually before dawn, and laid to rest. The grave was marked to ensure that the deceased was not forgotten (Harland, 2014). …show more content…
The loss was expressed through elaborate rituals which were conducted without any omission. Other practices including internment and cremation were conducted by thoroughly experienced and accepted members of the community. Family and friends spent time mourning the deceased as a sign that they respected them and wished them the best in their