Unit 1 Flashcards
Western Culture is comprised of:
Greek aesthetics and philosophy
Roman Law
Judeo-Christian tradition
Most of the death customs in U.S. comes from
England
Christian behavior was influenced by
Hebrew concepts influenced by ANCIENT GREEK and EGYPTIAN
Hebrew Concepts
How did the Egyptian Bury
Dry burial because of the Nile river
Laid on bed of charcoal
2 Types of Coffins
Sarcophagus- large ornamental coffin of stone or marble “flesh eating”
Anthropoid- man resembling shaped
Necropolis
The city of the dead aka cemetery
Mortuary temples
Greek burial practices
Prepared by the family, washed by women, clothed in white, used a bier
Power of the flame kept the soul on fire
Greek types of tombs
Stelae-shafts
Kiones- columns
Trapezae- square cut tombs
Naidia- temple-like
Suttee
Wife had to join the husband on the funeral pyre
Roman Burial Customs
Burial- because Christianity teaches that your soul is the important part of your being! Since your body houses your soul,it should be respected and treated well.
Columbaria
Funeral procession depended on who you were STATUS
Constantine
Was the first Christian emperor of Rome 314-379AD
He instituted government funded burial of those who could not afford a proper burial
How did the Hebrew do Burials
Shrouding/uncoffined
Hebrew Mourning Customs
Stripped down to loincloth
Barefoot head covered
Cut off hair shaved their beards
Fasted for day of death
Hebrew Place of Burial
Burial should be on family lands or near family dwellings
Family should be buried together so they’ll be together in the afterlife
Hebrew Place of Burial
burial should be on family lands
family should be buried together so they can be together in the afterlife
Christian Death Beliefs
Each man would have to give an accounting of his life on earth and he would be punished or rewarded in the hereafter
Christain belief on Resurrection and Cremation
On judgement day they will rise up to be w/ god
RESURRECTED BODY would be a SUPERIOR BODY
Frowned on cremation
Burial Customs of the Early Christians
Early canon law(church law) said the body should be laid out w/ lights beside it
Should be buried in consecrated grounds(blessed)
Role of the Christian Family
Husband, wife, or children closed eyes and mouth
Body was washed and wrapped in linen sheets w/ myrrh
Laid upon couch
Body was wrapped and the face was viewed
All done by elder women in the family
Wake
Means to keep watch
Rooted in fear of being buried alive
People also prayed for repose(safe rest)
Christian Funeral Procession
The death took place @ home
The prep was @ home
The wake was @ home
Took place during the day to symbolize that the deceased was entering into eternal light
Early Christian Cemeteries
Grounds were consecrated(blessed)
Outside the walls of the city
Also catacombs underground places of burial containing rooms for tombs
ANCIENT Egyptians souls
The soul struggled w/ good and evil, after death you were judged by your behavior on earth
