When it comes to death rituals and funeral customs, some people believe in an array of superstitions associated with the subjects. In this article, you will encounter a few, as well as learn some of the traditions observed by ancient Romans, the Jewish culture, and the Pygmies of the African Congo.
35) Some people stay away from planting a pine or spruce tree, as some believe that when the tree has reached a height tall enough to shade a grave, you will die.
36) Hearing the screech of an owl in the middle of the day is a death omen. A rooster that crows at night is another sign that death may befall a nearby household. If no death comes a calling, then bad luck may take place within three days.
37) During the Roman Empire, when ancient Romans were nearing their last breath, it was customary for the oldest surviving male of the family to come closer to the dying person and attempt to take in (inhale) their last breath.
38) In a great deal of religions, people like to leave behind flowers on the gravesite of the deceased. As a Jewish burial custom, some will leave stones on graves as a way of showing that they have not forgotten their loved ones. This is seen as a sign of paying respect to the dead.
39) If a mirror falls and breaks on its own, someone living in the house will soon meet their end.
40) If you drop an umbrella on the floor inside of a home, some believe a murder will take place in the house.
41) At the moment of death, some people believe that all the windows should be opened so that the soul can safely leave the room.
42) Who has heard that first lambs of the year born black will put a woman in widow’s clothes before the year has finished?
43) The last rites of the deceased sometimes lasted for days. It was not uncommon for professional dancers to become a part of the festivities.
44) In the African Congo, some Pygmies deal with death in a completely different manner as other cultures. Huts are pulled down on top of the dead body with the community moving their camp away. Family members mourn the loss by crying. After all of this, the dead individual is never mentioned again. Similar to the Pygmies, the destruction of the homes of dead people was common. The relatives were in charge of burning the body. When it came to returning home, relatives took a different route in an attempt to prevent the spirit of their loved one from following them back home.
45) In the past, if you died on the Solomon Islands, your body was set out on a reef for sharks to consume. It was also a tradition of the past to store skulls in containers shaped like fish.