DEATHDEATH IN ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

ANCIENT EGYPT

In ancient Egypt when “richer” people died they would be mummified. Mummification was a process in which they took out the deceased’s organs and stored them in jars. They did this because they needed to do this so they could transfer to the spirit world and so their organs don’t rot.

• For the “peasants” they would wrap them in gauze then drop them in graves. Which they dug to drop the bodies into. They also did not take as much care in mummifying the dead and taking out the organs. I think that the Egyptians buried their dead based on their wealth and social status.

ANCIENT ROME

THE ANCIENT ROMANS HAD A SHORT LIFE EXPECTANCY. AS PEOPLE LAY ONTHEIR DEATH BED THE OLDEST MALE WOULD BE SUMMONED TO OVERSEE.

AS THE PERSON DIED THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY WOULD HAVE TO INHALE DEEPLY TO ABSORB THE DECEASED’S SPIRIT. THEN IT IS UP TO THEM

WEATHER THEY WANT TO BUILD THEIR OWN TOMBS OR NOT. ROMANS ALSO WORE DEATH MASKS TO MAKE IT SEEM THAT THE PERSON DOESN’T

CHANGE.

In ancient Rome people would get much better ceremonies depending on how rich they were and what ranking they were in the government. Some people got extravagant golden tombs. Some get little clay bunkers. It all depends on how much money they have in the bank. Most of the romans death ceremonies depended on their social status.

ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

• In Mesopotamia death was a sign of sin. It was very different from Egyptians. They were all sad and grim unlike the Egyptians who thought of it as a new beginning. Nobody made any effort to preserve the deceased’s bodies. They had very different views than Egyptians.

• When people died the Mesopotamians believed people would sit in a cave for all eternity. They believed that the persons sole was trapped after they died. They would think that they sit there forever and never be able to leave.

MODERN CANADA

• In modern Canada death comes with sadness and a funeral. Unlike ancient civilizations people will mostly be buried or cremated equally. Sometimes if the person is really rich and influential, or had a hand in making new ground-breaking things. When people get buried they get a priest to read some words from the bible.

• Death in Canada is different from ancient civilizations because everyone is treated equally no matter what they are either buried or cremated. Canada has a much more fair system

ANCIENT GREECE

• Death was common in ancient Greece. Many people died young. Men died in battle and women in child birth. Death was a very common thing in Greece and people just learned how to deal with it.

• When people died people believed that their spirit went to the underworld. They thought that Hades would keep the souls. The heroic and good spirits would go to Elysium while the bad ones were sentenced to eternal punishment.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Works Cited

• Ancient Roman Mosaic of Death. Yahoo, 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/distan/4605584851/>.

• British Museum-Death. British Museum, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/young_explorers/discover/museum_explorer/ancient_greece/death.aspx>.

• Brooklyn Museum. Brooklyn Museum, n.d. Web. 9 July 2005. <http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/mummy_chamber/>.

• Death In ancient Rome Wiki. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2013. <http://death.wikia.com/wiki/Death_in_Ancient_Rome>.

• Life and Death. Nature Publishing Group, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v15/n1/full/scientificamerican0105-52sp.html>.

• Life and death masks. Princeton, n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2007. <https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQs7R-R0KT-Nki46wtm2djDx5AaeA6CKL4cikAQZsKvbCmRfPYO>.

• Lord Bryan on his death bed. Wikimedia, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lord_Byron_on_his_Death-bed_c._1826.jpg>.

• Monster Wiki. Wikia, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://monster.wikia.com/wiki/Hades>.

• 7 tips for preaching a stranger. The gospel coalition, n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/07/12/7-tips-for-preaching-a-strangers-funeral/>.

• Simon Says Roses. Simon Says Roses, 2001. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://www.simonsaysroses.com/sympathytwo.htm>.