Who holds a banquet in the graveyard of the newly deceased? Who leaves tasty food and treats for the dead until it turns midnight? Who would sacrifice a human as part of their death ritual? These questions and much more are explored in this article focused on death and funeral traditions.
46) The Iroquois buried the bodies of their dead in shallow graves that were later dug up at a later date. The bones were then preserved and taken to relative so that a burial could take place, followed by a feast dedicated to mourning the deceased. Bodies were also surrounded by gifts for the spirits.
47) In the past, women would cut their legs and arms until blood appeared when someone lost their life within a Dakota Indian tribe. Men would apply ash to their faces. Mourning and wailing took place, followed by preparation of the body for a scaffold burial, where the dead were dressed in fine linens.
48) The Dakota painted the faces of their dead with the color red, which was considered the ‘color of life.’ The Dakota believed that the dead were reborn or enter another life after death , another reason why faces showed the color red.
49) In the Andes, the Incas mummified their deceased loved ones using ice. Priests would leave symbolic items around the dead body. Speaking of ice, some Inuits of Alaska would cover dead bodies with a small igloo in an attempt to keep the body intact (or remain forever). Unfortunately, animals, such as polar bears, consumed some corpses.
50) Human sacrifice was a part of death rituals within the ancient Inca culture.
51) Banquets were held in the graveyards of the newly deceased , an old tradition found amongst Estonians living in Eastern Europe. On each tombstone, special dishes were placed on top.
52) In Jamaica, fried fish, cake, and bread was left out on a main table until the clock stuck midnight so that the spirit of the dead could have something to eat.
53) A part of the mummification process of ancient Egyptians included treated dead bodies with spices, herbs, and chemicals.
54) During the Middle Ages, the powder of mummies was sold to apothecaries.
55) Did you know that mummies are not a burial method exclusive to ancient Egyptians? Mummies have also been found in Mexico and Peru.
56) Aborigine tribes of the past felt that a dead person was like ‘poison’ and that they could cause bad hunting to take place. In their culture, they did not believe that dying from natural causes existed. They always suspected murder as the cause.
57) Once an individual has died, red earth was spread all over the body, as part of the Aborigine funeral practice.
58) In Russia, a copper coin is tossed into the grave of the newly deceased in an attempt to assist a dead person redeem themselves in another world. Sometimes, a bottle of vodka replaces the copper coin.
59) In regards to the concept of death, Mongolians believed in the return of the soul, where lamas prayed and offered food to keep the evil spirits away. There actions were also meant to protect the remaining members of the family. Blue stones were also positioned in the bed of the deceased in an attempt to prevent evil spirits from coming in.