Symbols On Graves

“Cave burial was one of the most common ways to put a body to rest. Placement of the bodies were in lava tubes, rock shelters, or hitches that contained several bodies inside. Burying the deceased in sand dunes or in earth was another common but preferred method. Majority of the sand dunes in Hawaii have some kind of history with burial” (Kirch 240). Apart from buried in the earth, surface burials they had also conducted included cremation, which was performed by burning the corpse over a fire until the bones had charred into ash. “When referring to sea burials, bodies of fishermen would be wrapped in red cloth, then put in the ocean to be eaten by sharks. It was believed that the essence of the fisherman would inhabit the shark’s body” (Redmond 4).

The Jewish people in the Old Testament showed respect for the dead by providing them with proper burials. In Scripture, examples of burial of the dead date back to the days of the patriarchs (Sarah, Gen. 23; Abraham, Gen. 25, Jacob, Gen. 50), the judges (Tola and Jair, Judg. 10; Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, Judg. 12), and the kings, both good and evil (Saul, 1 Sam. 31; David, 1 Kings 2; Manasseh, 2 Kings 21; and Josiah, 2 Kings 23).

Because of this, people received payment to bury the dead. The way they buried people was very simple, they threw them all into a pit, and then covered the pit with dirt. A dead man received no more recognition than a dead goat would today.

Maize, which is an essential crop to the Mayas, was a symbol of rebirth. When a person laid to rest maize was placed in their mouths, it was known as food for the journey into the otherworld. Death rituals become an important part of the Mayan culture. The Mayas associate the color red with death and rebirth, similar to how many American cultures and religions associate death with the color black. They also developed many practices to commemorate the dead and long lost ancestors and conducted elaborate ceremonies for the elite members of society. Locations of the gravesites were prepared to lead one into the direction of the otherworld. Graves were to the north or west because that was the direction of the Mayan heavens. High ranking members of society were often buried in vaults and their tombs were filled with precious goods, including pottery and jade. Evil people were usually buried in caves because they were

Day of the Dead symbols revolve primarily around skulls and skeletons, but there are also a few other Dia de los Muertos icons that are deeply rooted in the Day of the Dead tradition. On this page, we'll take a look at the other main Dia de los Muertos symbols that you should know about if you want to celebrate this festive holiday: altars and ofrendas, marigolds, papel picado, and pan de

In “Disposal of the Dead”, Kroeber arranges a cross cultural comparison of different cultures, and by doing so Kroeber aims to understand why cultures take on a variety of strategies in the treatment of the deceased. As a result of Kroeber’s research among the aborigines of California and incorporating information from other cultures, Kroeber found that cultures varied within themselves and other surrounding cultures in regards to their burial procedures. Therefore, Kroeber concludes that there is a lack of consistency in the different burial methods among cultures that should process similarities. As a result, Kroeber compares the disposing of the dead among these cultures as economical and material entities like matters of fashion. However,

Within the United States and Canada, the funeral rituals can be divided

Societies dispose of bodies after death in a wide variety of ways. Burial takes place in some, both under and above ground. Some bodies are placed in coffins in their graves, others are kept in a mausoleum, others may be mummified. Some societies also use cremation in a variety of ways, including the use of a crematory or a funeral pyre. Families help prepare and dispose of the body in some societies, others seek the expertise of outside professionals for this task.

In Ancient China a heavy emphasis was placed on the proper treatment of the dead and there are several detailed burial practices that define the death culture. In Ancient China people believed that life did not end in death, and that the dead would go into the afterlife doing the same things they did while alive. Because of this belief, tombs were outfitted in all the necessities that the dead would need for the afterlife. Objects placed in the tombs could range from personal objects to weapons. Flutes and other instruments were placed in tombs for the dead to play music as a form of entertainment. Weapons were exquisitely decorated and served more of a symbolic display of power rather than for function. Another part of ancient Chinese death

The Dogon people, for example, memorialized the dead by using art in the form of colorful masks worn during a performance at the funerals. Their reasoning for this other than to honor the deceased was to lead their souls to where their ancestors are. This ritual is called a “dama,” and if they failed to do this, the souls of the dead would not be freed to the afterlife. These masks have a more

The body of a person who has died is cared for in a culturally sensitive and dignified manner.

Jewellery and treasures Mummies were often buried with many of their belongings that might be needed in the afterlife. If the mummy belonged to a very rich person, such as the Pharaoh, he would be buried with objects

A well – known tradition is that of the ship burial, where the dead are laid in a boat, or a stone ship, and given grave offerings in accordance with his economic status, sometimes including sacrificed slaves. Afterwards, piles of stone and soil were usually laid on top of the remains in order to create a burial mound.

Archaeologists have found many different funerary practices used in Ancient India. They have found numerous graves and found a wide variety of funerary practices such as some bodies wrapped in reeds, and some in cotton cloth. They were placed in wooden coffins and most people were buried with pottery and urns that contain ashes. Families would wail at the death of a relative to show their grief.

A symbol of Christian life, such as a bible, a book of the gospels, or a cross may be placed on the coffin as a sign that the Christian is marked, in Baptism, and through Jesus' victory over death is brought to eternal life.