How the Ancient Greeks buried and remembered their dead loved ones

The ancient Greeks believed that death marked the soul’s departure from the physical world and began a journey that led to the mysterious realm of the afterlife.

At the moment of death, they believed that the soul, known as the psyche, separated from the body.

The soul would then travel to the Underworld, or Hades, which was ruled by the god of the same name.

The Greeks aimed to ensure a peaceful passage for the deceased through funerary rites meant to honor the dead and protect the living from the wrath of unsatisfied spirits. 

The Underworld itself was a vast, shadowy place divided into different regions based on the life a person had led.

Elysium, or the Elysian Fields, was the most desirable destination: a paradise for the virtuous and heroic souls.

Meanwhile, those who had lived wicked lives faced punishment in Tartarus, a deep abyss of suffering.

For most, however, the soul entered the Asphodel Meadows, a grey and neutral realm where ordinary spirits wandered.

The afterlife structure, which was tied to morality and heroism, influenced how the Greeks treated death, for the rituals performed during burial could help determine the soul’s final destination. 

In fact, they told the story of Charon, the ferryman who transported souls across the mythical river Styx, emphasizing the need for proper burial rites.

Without a coin, known as an obol, to pay Charon, a soul would be left to wander aimlessly along the shores of the Styx.

Because of this belief, the Greeks placed a coin in the mouth of the deceased as a crucial part of funerary customs. 

The first stage of a Greek funeral was the prothesis—the laying out of the body—which took place in the home, where family members carefully washed and anointed the deceased with oils.

The body was then dressed in clean clothes, often white to signify purity, and placed on a bier.

Mourners gathered around the bier and displayed outward sorrow. Women, typically the primary mourners, wailed and tore their hair, and sometimes even their garments—a traditional way to honor the dead.

The prothesis allowed the family and community to pay their respects before the body left the house. 

Following the prothesis, the ekphora—or funeral procession—took place. The body was transported from the home to its final resting place, either a burial site or a pyre for cremation.

The procession often occurred before dawn, a sign of respect and privacy.

Pallbearers, who were usually close male relatives, carried the bier through the streets.

On the ways, mourners and musicians, who played sad tunes on flutes, accompanied them.

This allowed a public display of mourning which involved the wider community in the family's grief. 

The final stage involved burial or cremation, determined by local customs or the family's choice.

In Athens, where cremation was common, the body would be placed on a pyre and set alight in the family's presence.

Once the ashes were cooled, they were collected in a funerary urn, which was later buried.

In earlier centuries, especially during the Geometric period, large clay vases, known as kraters, were used as containers for ashes.

The large size of these containers allowed for detailed decorations to display the deceased's social and economic importance.

In other regions, burial was preferred; the body was laid to rest in a grave, often with grave goods—personal items like pottery or jewelry—meant to accompany the deceased into the afterlife. 

As is to be expected, wealthy members of influential families could afford elaborate funerals.

These included processions with musicians and mourners and expensive grave goods such as fine pottery and jewelry.

Wealthy individuals were often buried with significant items, which were believed to help them in the afterlife and emphasized their high social standing even in death.

Wealthy families could also commission sculpted grave markers that had detailed depictions of the deceased in moments of life as a reminder of their social importance. 

In contrast, funerals for the poor were much simpler because poor families often lacked the means to afford elaborate processions or expensive grave goods.

Instead, the deceased would be buried with only a few basic items, if any, and their graves were often marked with small, undecorated stones that lacked the grand inscriptions and carvings seen in the tombs of the wealthy.

In some cases, public burial grounds were used for those who could not afford private plots.

The demoi, or general populace of lower status, often had funerals that focused on practicality rather than ceremony. 

For those that could afford them, tombs in ancient Greece varied greatly in style and structure due to regional differences and the status of the deceased.

However, one of the most common types was the stele—a tall, upright stone slab often adorned with carvings or inscriptions.

These stelai could be simple or decorated, often with scenes from daily life, including family members, servants, or pets.

Another type of tomb was the tumulus, a large mound of earth that covered a grave and was sometimes used to mark the burial of significant figures or groups.

Alternatively, family tombs, which were communal burial sites, allowed generations to be buried together and emphasized the importance of kinship. 

Inscriptions carved into the stone, which were known as epitaphs, recorded important details about the deceased, such as their name and virtues.

These were often brief yet poignant, as these inscriptions were designed to immortalize the dead in the memory of those who passed by.

For example, they could reference farewell handshakes, military themes, or simply scenes of domestic life.

In some cases, grave markers included sculpted reliefs that depicted the deceased in idealized forms; they were shown in moments of life or alongside gods, which was meant to emphasize their status or virtues. 

Greeks placed grave goods alongside the deceased to provide for them in the afterlife, and these items often reflected the individual’s life, status, and role within society.

Pottery was a common grave good, often decorated with painted scenes of life or mythology, which were believed to offer protection or guidance to the soul.

Also, weapons could be buried with warriors as a reminder of their strength in life, while women were sometimes buried with jewelry or weaving tools, which showed their domestic roles and skills.

The inclusion of these items represented a belief that the dead would continue to need certain possessions in the afterlife, which meant that they were not left without the tools or comforts of their earthly existence. 

In particular, family members often placed food and wine at the gravesite to nourish the deceased’s spirit.

Such offerings repeated at intervals after the burial included libations of oil or honey, which were poured onto the grave to honor the gods of the Underworld and secure their favor for the deceased.

In some cases, animals were sacrificed, which was believed to send the soul protection or blessings in the afterlife.

A common item left with the dead was a small jar called a lekythos, which stored olive oil offerings and often had detailed decorations depicting daily life or funerary scenes.

The rituals were acts of devotion that ensured the deceased remained cared for, even after death, and that their spirit did not linger restlessly among the living. 

Annual rites and rituals continued long after the initial burial to keep the memory of the deceased alive.

Families visited the graves on special days and brought offerings such as food and wine to sustain the spirit in the afterlife.

On the anniversary of the death, relatives gathered to perform choai—the pouring of libations—as a sign of devotion.

Festivals like the Genesia, a day dedicated to the dead, also offered opportunities for the living to remember their ancestors.

Families would clean and decorate the graves during these times, as an act of reverence that maintained the connection between the living and the deceased. 

Funerary practices in ancient Greece varied significantly between regions due to the unique customs of each city-state; in Athens, for example, funerals were relatively elaborate with a strong emphasis on public displays of grief.

Occasions like the prothesis and ekphora involved both family and community, and Athenians believed that such acts of honor toward the dead strengthened their bond with the gods.

In contrast, Sparta maintained much more restrained practices; Spartans valued stoicism and discipline and discouraged emotional displays during funerals.

Over time, Greek funerary practices evolved, especially between the Archaic and Hellenistic periods.

During the Archaic period, burial mounds and grave goods were common; tombs often contained pottery or weapons.

These practices reflected a belief in an afterlife that required material possessions.

However, during the Classical period, influenced by philosophical ideas about the soul and afterlife, tombs became simpler and cremation became more widespread.

As a result, burial sites became less grand due to the focus on the soul's journey to the afterlife rather than the body's needs.

By the Hellenistic period, funerary practices became more diverse again, and elaborate tombs and sculptures appeared.

This period saw an influx of wealth and cultural influence, which led to more ornate expressions of grief and memory, particularly among the elite.

As a result, tombs from the Hellenistic period often featured intricate carvings and statues that combined Greek tradition with foreign influences.