Funerary Ritual of Greeks in Antiquity as Reflected in Funerary Epigrams

The author discusses the Greek funerary verse-inscriptions as the primary sources for the study of Greek burial rituals (Classical, Hellenistic, Greek-Roman). Funerary epigrams constitute an invaluable source, as funeral, an ordinary event of daily life did not draw enough attention of ancient writers. Archaeological sources, on the other hand, are too often ambiguous and fragmentary. As a result, epigrams help us most to determine the way funerary rites in Greek antiquity were performed; moreover, they give us also first-hand accounts of these practices, which is unparalleled by any of the extant literary testimonies. The importance of funerary rites as ta nomizomena in verse inscriptions is noticeable; most important elements of burial are well documented, starting with prothesis, ritual lamentation, procession, interment or cremation, funeral offerings, and concluded with lustrations, funeral banquet and subsequent visitations of the tombs.

The author discusses the Greek funerary verse-inscriptions as the primary sources for the study of Greek burial rituals (Classical, Hellenistic, Greek-Roman). Funerary epigrams constitute an invaluable source, as funeral, an ordinary event of daily life did not draw enough attention of ancient writers. Archaeological sources, on the other hand, are too often ambiguous and fragmentary. As a result, epigrams help us most to determine the way funerary rites in Greek antiquity were performed; moreover, they give us also first-hand accounts of these practices, which is unparalleled by any of the extant literary testimonies. The importance of funerary rites as ta nomizomena in verse inscriptions is noticeable; most important elements of burial are well documented, starting with prothesis, ritual lamentation, procession, interment or cremation, funeral offerings, and concluded with lustrations, funeral banquet and subsequent visitations of the tombs.