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thanatoseyes · 10 days

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My paired down list of spirit work and death magic. (Obviously this is what works for me and I'm kind of a picky person when I aquire written work)

Physical Media:

Cunning Words: A Grimoire of Tales and Magic by Marshall WSL (This one I pre-ordered and haven't gotten through the whole text but it's a good read. It incorporates the art of story telling with distinct spells and magic. I think it's very unique but I wouldn't recommend it unless you want something with flavor)

Riding the Bones by the three little sisters (this one is an anthology of particular practices from different walks of life pertaining to death and transition. I've only read a few of the stories but for what it's worth I think its good insight)

Botanical Curses and Poisons by Fez Inkwright (I only list this because it's always good to know what's good and bad for you. Know what can kill you and you can probably avoid it)

The Bones Fall in A Spiral by Mortellus (again I've mentioned this before but I think this is a good work for someone getting into the field and needs someone that's direct and experienced in what they do. One of my favorites.

Consorting with Spirits by Jason Miller (I feel like this is a staple of the craft and while I personally don't connect with the material it works and it has some good points)

Metamorphosis by Ovid (I think it's always necessary to deal with primary texts. Go with the classics. Ovid has a beautiful way of writing and you get to really understand the stories and myths that spirits of the dead living etc are connected to and if you do any deity work I highly recommend it.)

Of Blood and Bone by Kate Freuler (I have mixed views on this one. some of the stuff is informative and it provides some good spells, but it lacks transparency and depth. I find Mortellus book far more student minded.)

The complete language of flowers by S. Theresa Dietz (if you work with the dead, deities, spirits or hey plant spirits. Chances are you've come across Victorian flower language. I use this book as a reference guide for symbolism/folklore/ and as a way to connecting with spirits)

Encyclopedia of Spirits by Judika Illes (hey no library is complete without an encyclopedia. I personally like this one because it's very indepth without being too overwhelming. Not sure where to go? Just pick up this book and you can do more indepth research later. It's what it's there for. Reference guides are one of my favorites.)

Okay that's it for my physical media.

I also have a list of digital copies I keep.

Morbid Magic by Tomàs Prower (I think if you buy any book from this collection buy this one. It gives you an over all guide of most death practices around the world)

Historical:

Death, Dissection and the Destitute by Ruth Richardson

The Work of the Dead by Thomas W. Laqueur.

(I list these because they are a good source guide to how we treated the dead and spirits in the past. It's always important we learn from those that came before us.)

Greek Customs: (if you're going to do any type of work with Greek chthonic deities I suggest these three articles/books. I'm not saying its mandatory but these are very helpful guides to understanding ancient thought and how to bring them into today.)

Burial Customs, The Afterlife and the Pollution of Death in ancient Greece by Francois Pieter Retief and Louise Cilliers (free on research gate)

Underworld Gods in Ancient Greek Religion Death and Reciprocity by Ellie Mackin Roberts

Inner Purity and Pollution in Greek Religion Volume 1 by Andrej Petrovic and Ivana Petrovic (this one's my personal favorite)

#i put this up in a server but thought id list my opinions to the public #witchblr #death magic #spirit work #greek and roman deities #deity work #library #its ecclectic that's for sure #but i didnt want to go in depth with specifics idk #anyone want to add to the list feel free #id love a discussion or something #i left out all of Caitlin Doughty's books because this person wasnt really asking about mortuary science in particular #but its what keeps the practice alive my man #i feel like this doesnt have to be stated but dont go where youre not allowed #theres a reason there are closed practices and things like that #idk man if theres a building and it says do not enter i just walk away

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screeching-0wl · 2 years

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Hi! I wanted to start by thanking you for being open to answer questions and for even running this blog! Its helped me tons, lol

I just got the sudden urge to learn about the funerary rites of Hellenism and of the ancients. My partner has breast cancer and they just recently began their journey within this religion. Death has been part of our conversations often, and neither of us are afraid of it. I'm more afraid that the world won't be able to recognize or get to know this wonderful human being. Part of this fear is that they might not get the funeral they deserve because their family isnt Hellenic. We're very open about this type of conversation because of their diagnosis, and they've even been distressed that their funeral might be turned Christian, and they've spoken and started planning their funeral already (very dark, I know, but they've still got a few years, and even longer if treatment goes well). They've had trouble finding resources for this type of thing, and since I'm not Hellenic, I also don't know where to look. I thought I'd ask you!

TL;DR: I'd love it immensely if you could help me with gaining knowledge on the funerary rites of this religion!

Hello there!

I'm assuming you're asking more about Ancient Greece but in case you might also be interested in Ancient Rome just message me in asks or DMs and I could do a short summary of Roman burial rites as well. The differences aren't super drastic but they're there.

This is quite a long post but I think I was able to mention the most relevant things. I also won't really mention Mycenaen customs but focus on later time periods.

The importance of burial rites in Ancient Greece

Burial rites were very important. A funeral was seen as a religious duty for the living and a rite of passage for the dead, a ritual and a way to "hand over" the person to the forces of The Underworld. The ancients strongly believed that without receiving proper funerary honours one could not enter Hades. In this case, some sources also mention the soul being "suspended" in-between the worlds of the living and the dead. They were pretty serious about it; so much so that apart from common morality, it was protected by law and such negligence could've resulted in a serious penalty. The ghosts of the unburied were also allowed to return to the realm above to visit the living in the form of dreams and demand a proper burial, e.g. Sisyphus who used this to his advantage.

The least one could do for the deceased was to throw three handfuls of soil onto the body. This was still an accepted form of burial that would allow the person into The Underworld.

A good example of this is in Sophocles' Antigone:

After the attack on Thebes Kreon orders the body of Eteocles to be "buried in such a way so that the dead welcome him in The Underworld with respect." He then orders the body of Polyneices, who wanted to conquer Thebes, to the dogs and birds to feed on. This was a HUGE offence. Antigone, who was the sister of both men decided to perform the simple funerary rite that I mentioned above.

The Afterlife, death & what's going on?

I already briefly touched on The Afterlife but now, let's talk about some mythology and more views the ancients had on the matter.

Funerary practices in ancient Greece were heavily influenced by contemporary views on the afterlife, concepts such as pollution, the costs and sometimes even politics.

The view of the afterlife could differ. There was no complete uniformity of the concept of death and Hades in the Hellenic world, although some widely accepted, more mainstream thoughts and theories did exist. As the times changed, those things could also experience slight changes or be accompanied by some new takes on the subject.

Hades

Hades was the Ancient Greek Underworld and the final resting place for departed souls. From Homer, we learn that Hades is a dark, subterranean place located at the ends of the earth, on the far shore of the earth-encircling river Okeanos, beyond the gates of the Sun and the Land of Dreams. Hades was enclosed by the Akherousian Lake and three rivers: the Styx, Kokytos and Pyriphlegethon, although other accounts may also mention three more rivers of The Underworld: Lethe, Eridanos and Acheron.

It was said that were different ways to reach the realm but the most common was probably through the river Styx. Charon and Hermes aided with the transport. The dead crossed the river, passed through gates guarded by the hound Cerberus, and presented themselves before the king and queen of the underworld.

What's interesting, though is that Homer most likely did not know of Elysian Fields or Tartarean Hell, rather all shades, heroes and villains alike, came to rest in the gloom of Hades but it wasn't always like that.

In the classical period, the Underworld went through some renovations! Philosophers, prophets and religious mysteries contributed to modifying the land of the dead to incorporate an Elysian paradise for the good and a Tartarean hell for the wicked. The souls were judged and assigned a suitable afterlife. Sometimes the dead were also described as roaming around the Asphodel Meadows - a place for the ordinary.

Death

During the moment of death, the soul (psyche) leaves the body through the mouth or an open wound, depending on the cause of death. According to Homer other elements, namely the thumos (from the heart) and the vital spirit (aion) in the case of young people, also escape from the body but play no further role. The corpse which remains simply decomposes and is of no further importance. Its only role is to be buried so that the deceased will be granted access to the underworld.

In antiquity, death like some other things was associated with pollution (miasma), not in terms of hygiene but rather it could have been considered "an act repulsive to the gods". It's quite a complicated subject, so in short, I suppose it's somewhat of "spiritual" pollution. For this reason dying in sacred places, temples, etc. was quite literally prohibited, take Delos for example. Often the tombs and necropoleis were located outside cities but this also depended on the region, time, etc.

Reincarnation did exist within the ancient greek belief systems but only within certain groups (Orphists, Platonists, Pythagoreans) and was not generally accepted.

Types of burial

The preferences here also might've differed, especially as the times changed and the age could also play a role in what the burial looked like.

Homeric era: cremation was more common than burial. Graves were simple, rectangular pits for corpses or urns containing ashes. Cremations were performed elsewhere. The sides of the graves were lined with tightly stacked stones or clay and the corpses were in shrouds, rather than coffins. A heap of ground was piled over the closed grave, and sometimes a small stone dais was built. If a gravestone or wooden marker was provided, it was placed at the head of the grave in the case of a burial, or in the centre on top of the grave mound in the case of cremation. Sometimes a large clay urn was left on the grave and gifts for the afterlife were placed either in them or in special recesses next to them.

The Archaic era: an even greater preference for cremation, except for children. Cremations were regularly performed within the grave itself. Grave offerings continued and terracotta coffins began to be used but graves were no longer lined with stones. Grave mounds became much larger, and ornamental gravestones and memorial columns became popular.

The Classical period: cremation and burial were equally popular. Grave structures became simpler and more uniform. With time, grave coverings became larger and more complex. Group graves (perioboloi) became popular and prominent state tombs for Attic soldiers, where annual ceremonies were performed.

Grave goods: They could include food, clothes, jewellery, grooming items, weapons, pottery or even pets.

The burial could also look different depending on the circumstances and the person (e.g. s*icide, victims of murder) and in really extreme cases they could even be forbidden as the most severe form of punishment (criminals, traitors, etc.).

Funeral: step-by-step

The customs might have varied depending on the region and the times. Here, however, I'll focus on the Attic (Athenian) burial.

Preparations

At the moment of death, the eyes and mouth were gently closed by one of those present. Sometimes a coin - obol (or danake) was placed in the mouth of the deceased (more about this particular custom below).

Then the relatives of the deceased, primarily women, conducted the elaborate burial rituals that consisted of three main parts: the prothesis (laying out of the body), the ekphora (funeral procession), and the interment of the body or cremated remains of the deceased.

1. Prothesis

This was the first stage - an indoor preparation of the corpse. The prothesis took place the day after a death in the house and prior to being transported to the grave. It lasted the whole day, and this was when the traditional laments were sung and the relatives and friends of the deceased said farewell for the last time. Bandaged in a linen wrapper (endyma), the body was laid out on a type of bed (kline). The head of the deceased was raised on a headrest. It was the women of the family who were in charge of preparing the corpse for its laying out. They washed it rubbed it with olive oil and some sweet-smelling unguents, dressed it, and decorated it with flowers, wreaths and jewellery. This was considered a very sacred duty.

One of the customs for preparation was also that the body should not be entirely covered by the drapings.

When it comes to the colour scheme, the colour of the bed, the wrappings or shroud was not uniformly white (although it was the usual go-to) - there were some violets and even some greens. The women present at the preparation were wearing different colours of the garment called himation (a type of cloth also worn as a headscarf).

2. Ekphora

Another stage was the pre-dawn funeral procession. It had to take place before sunrise so that it wouldn’t create a public nuisance. The procession came on the day following the prothesis - the third day after death (this even was a law in Athens). It might, however, be put off several days to allow for the arrival of distant friends. The corpse was carried from home to the burial site, probably on the same bed that it was prepared on but if someone was wealthy, the body would be transported in a cart or carriage drawn by horses. The men walked before the corpse and the women behind. It also appears that musicians were hired to play mournful tunes on the flute and sing dirges. Those who accompanied the funeral wore mourning garments.

3. Burial & cremation

The burial ritual for a corpse (or for the ashes after cremation) was a simple one. Relatives conducted the burial service. No priests were present due to the "pollution" that I mentioned earlier.

Both inhumation and cremation were practised. The corpse was buried wrapped in a cloth, sometimes enclosed in a coffin. The coffins could be made of clay or cypress wood. Sometimes, however, these pottery coffins were very highly decorated - painted in brilliant colours with representations of lily leaves and palms, the flowering acanthus and the lotus, with wreaths and intricate tracery. This was, however, also a matter of wealth.

The types of tombs ranged from simple stelae to temple-like structures but there were tombs that were merely heaps of earth.

In the case of cremation, the ashes (in a container) were also buried in a grave. Cremation, being more costly, was usually seen as more prestigious. The pile of wood (πυρά) upon which the body was burned was sometimes erected over the grave in which the ashes were to be buried. Just before the flames had entirely vanished, wine was poured on to extinguish the pyre, and whatever bones were left were collected into the urn with the rest of the ashes. Then the urn was buried.

Some accounts also mention that grain was traditionally strewn over the grave after it had been filled in but I'm not sure how common it was. This could have formed part of the ta trita ceremony, which would be repeated three days later and was followed by the drinking and pouring of libations for the gods. Some libations could also have been poured at the grave as it was accepted they could strengthen souls in Hades. Gifts for the deceased were also then left on or in the grave.

4. Other

Perideipnon - funeral feast: After all the previous steps, the family would return to the house of death for a feast commemorating the deceased’s life and praising their deeds, which they would enjoy with great conviviality, wearing crowns and festive wreaths. Some believed that the spirit of the deceased was present at the feast as well.

The mourning process

The outward (often purposefully slightly exaggerated) grief was present during prothesis and ekphora. Some say that it was common for the women to beat their breasts, tear at their cheeks, pour the ashes on their heads and knock their heads upon the ground. The grief could also manifest through wearing black or dark-coloured clothes and garments (especially during ekphora). Shaving one's head or cutting the hair was also a very clear sign of grief.

Not many details are known of the ta enata ritual. It probably occurred on the ninth day and was followed by the triakosta ceremony on the thirtieth day. This would most likely end the period of mourning (at least in Athens).

Charon's salary

Let's talk about the coins given to the dead - the boat fare. The custom was first mentioned by Aristophanes in Frogs and does not appear to have been in use at a very early date. This was also not a custom within every region of Ancient Greece, so it wasn't always required and not everyone practised it.

A honey cake was also sometimes said to have been given to the deceased. We don't have too much information about this. Whether the cake was intended as a sop to Cerberus, is not certainly known, although a scholiast of Aristophanes mentions that "the honey-cake was given to the corpses for Cerberus, as the obol was for the ferryman (Charon), and the crown as for those who had won a prize in life."

But back to coins; as to how this may look nowadays, it's difficult to tell. Personally, I reckon any currency would be fine since it'd be quite tricky to acquire obols nowadays, no? I saw even saw a discussion about this among Hellenic polytheists and some even wondered whether Charon accepted cheques or credit card transactions! Maybe they do move with the times. And although those UPGs may sound hilarious, what do I know? I guess one can really find out once they've already met the ferryman.

I hope this helps!

Sources:

Theoi.com

hellenicaworld.com

The Burial Customs of the Ancient Greeks by F. P. Graves (not everything is 100% accurate and it's quite a mix of both Greek and Roman stuff but it's a decent resource that might be somewhat helpful to get the idea of what it all looked like back then; just be more careful with it)

Burial customs, the afterlife and the pollution of death in ancient Greece by F. P. Retief

#asks #funerary rites #burial rites #helpol #hellenic polytheism #hellenic gods #hellenic deities #hellenic pagan #hellenism #hellenic polytheist #theoi #ancient greece #ancient greek history #ancient greek burials

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