quiz 1 (egyptians, greeks, romans, hebrews) Flashcards
what is the wooden table that a body would be placed upon
bier
what were the jars the Egyptians put different organs in
canopic jars
who started cremations
Greeks
where does the word funeral come from
the word funeralis which meant torch light parade
who was Osiris
The ancient Egyptian god fo the underworld and judge of the dead
who was Ra
the ancient Egyptian god of the sun, center/focus of the universe
who was the Kher-heb
in ancient Egypt, the physician who superintended the embalming and funeral arrangements
in ancient Egypt - surgeon/embalmer
chief embalmer, directed and oversaw operations
in ancient Egypt - anatomist/dissector
made the incisions on the body
in ancient Egypt - pollinctor/apothecary
compounded the powders, oils, balsams, etc
who is Anubis
in ancient Egypt was considered the god of embalming, lead the dead to the hall of 2 truths, and helped Osiris with weighting of the heart ceremony
death beliefs of the ancient Egyptians
“death and the life beyond” - attribute life to the body lying in the grave
who took care of bodies most often cross many cultures
women
what were the greeks response to death
resignation, not anticipation for the afterlife
what was the Greeks beliefs of the afterlife
Elysian fields: basically heaven, the soul was not forever freed of a bodily counterpart
Greeks body preparation
eyes and mouth closed, body was washed, body anointed with oil/perfume/spices, covered with flowers/ornaments/jewels, the body would cross the river Styx, coin placed in mouth to cross river with Charon, cake of honey placed by body for Cerberus (3 head dog)
did the greeks embalm
there were no attempts to embalm
what clothing were the Greeks buried in
either, covering of the funeral bed, the garment in which the corpse was enveloped, and the outer covering/traditional garb
what is Ekphora
to the ancient Greeks it meant the body must be brought to the grave before sunrise quietly
ancient Greek funeral procession
- was ritualistic wailing by female mourners
- was usually 1 hour before dawn
- corpse was on a bier and carried
- there were female mourners and fraternity members
- also hired dirge (slow and solen singers)
material of ancient greek coffins
wood, stone, or baked clay
what are the 4 types of ancient greek tombs
- stelae
- kiones
- trapazae
- naidia
what were the 3 parts of the ancient greeks funerals
- prothesis - laying out of the body
- Ekphora - funeral procession/cremation
- perideipnon - funerary banquet
who was the libitanarius to ancient Romans
head undertaker (named after the goddess fo corpses and funerals, Libitina)
who was the pollilnctores to the ancient Romans
they washed, anointed, and dressed the body
who were the praeco/praeficae to the ancient Romans
women/professional mourners, or summoned participants to public funerals
what were the 3 beliefs of the ancient Romans
- Roman animistic view
- roman epicurean view
- christian view
roman animisitic view
soul was vital principle, soul remained at burial site and needed constant attention
roman epicurean view
body and soul would decompose at the same time
christian view (romans)
(emperor) Constantine the Great converted to Christianity, declared as state religion by Theodosius, heaven/hell after death
how did romans dispose of their dead
cremation and burial
how did roman cremation go
pyre made, corpse laying on couch placed on pyre, conclamtio mortis (peak death) where named was called while circling the pyre, fire lit, extinguish embers with wine, ashes collected and put in Urna, mourners were purified after stepping over fire and water was thrown at them
how did Roman burial go
- mausoleums = usually kings
- grave pits = mass graves (poor, criminals, arena men, animals, and waste)
-private burial = on Appian Way (road) where tombs were built by individuals in their lifetime - collegium = burial clubs/organizations/guilds, members put in money
- catacombs = necropolis built in tunnels underground
how were bodies prepared by ancient Romans
body was washed, annointed, laid in white toga, last kiss by relative to catch soul, eyes closed, called by name, laid in state 3-7 days on funeral couch,
ancient Egyptians beliefs
soul had to be moralized for eternal afterlife, items were offered to corpse to use in the afterlife
what are the different types of mummies
natural mummies - ice, bogs, deserts, dry air
Egyptian mummies - ceremonially preserved etc
what were the elements of a person to the ancient Egyptians
- the Ba = soul, bird like spirit
- the Akh = traveled underworld for final judgement
- the Ka = most important, it was a double of the person which remained by the dead person and demanded attention of the living
what was the well to do embalming practice
for the wealthy, lasted 70 days, brain and viscera were removed and preserved separately (put in canopic jars), cavities were washed, cleaned, filled with spices and resins, then immersed for 40 days in soda solution, and finally wrapped in linen
what was the 2nd less costly method of embalming for ancient Egyptians
injection of cedar oil into body caviites without evisceration, body laid in natron for some time, cedar oil was released, along with the dissolved organs, leaving preserved skin and bones
what was the 3rd and least costly method of embalming for ancient Egyptians
purging the intestines and soaking the body in a soda solution for 70 days, the use fo bitumen/pitch was later developed, leaving the mummy that would last indefinitely
what were ancient Hebrews death beliefs
man as 2 connected elements - basar/vasar or the flesh = the body that could be destroyed and nefesh or breath = vial spirit that persisted after death
what did the ancient Hebrews believe as the afterlife
sheol - a place fo still darkness after death for their souls
what were the ancient Hebrews body care
immediately following the death eyes and mouth are closed, purification of body by washing, anointment, and dressed, shroud used to cover the body, no embalming
who took care of the ancient Hebrews dead
(c)hevra Kadisha or “holy society” that was a community that cared for the deceased
ancient Hebrew burial customs
cremation was forbidden, must be buried, buried in a sunken grange, bench grave, trench grave, or a single chamber grave, the tombs were outside the city, deceased were buried the evening of the day of death
