Burial customs, the afterlife and the pollution of death in ancient Greece
Funerary practices in ancient Greece were influenced by contemporary views on the afterlife and by concepts of pollution, but also by a desire to limit costs and a need to prevent the process of burial from causing inconvenience to the community or providing an opportunity for exploitation by those...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of the Free State
2005-06-01
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| Series: | Acta Theologica |
| Online Access: | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2076 |
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| _version_ | 1823858330259423232 |
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| author | Francois P. Retief Louise Cilliers |
| author_facet | Francois P. Retief Louise Cilliers |
| author_sort | Francois P. Retief |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Funerary practices in ancient Greece were influenced by contemporary views on the afterlife and by concepts of pollution, but also by a desire to limit costs and a need to prevent the process of burial from causing inconvenience to the community or providing an opportunity for exploitation by those with ulterior motives. Plato (Hippias Maior 291d and e) defined the ideal of any Greek as to be rich, healthy and honoured; to live to a grand old age; to bury his parents with honour, and ultimately to be buried in turn by his own children with due respect. This study investigates the views on disposing of the dead which were prevalent from the 8th to the 4th century BC in Greece, and in Attica in particular. The sources consulted include Homer's epic poems, archaeological data and vase paintings, as well as the writings of later historians, philosophers and other prominent people.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3e371309b4b7400f8c51a46093c85b31 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1015-8758 2309-9089 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2005-06-01 |
| publisher | University of the Free State |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Theologica |
| spelling | doaj-art-3e371309b4b7400f8c51a46093c85b312025-02-11T12:26:24ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892005-06-01710.38140/at.v0i7.2076Burial customs, the afterlife and the pollution of death in ancient GreeceFrancois P. Retief0Louise Cilliers1University of the Free StateUniversity of the Free State Funerary practices in ancient Greece were influenced by contemporary views on the afterlife and by concepts of pollution, but also by a desire to limit costs and a need to prevent the process of burial from causing inconvenience to the community or providing an opportunity for exploitation by those with ulterior motives. Plato (Hippias Maior 291d and e) defined the ideal of any Greek as to be rich, healthy and honoured; to live to a grand old age; to bury his parents with honour, and ultimately to be buried in turn by his own children with due respect. This study investigates the views on disposing of the dead which were prevalent from the 8th to the 4th century BC in Greece, and in Attica in particular. The sources consulted include Homer's epic poems, archaeological data and vase paintings, as well as the writings of later historians, philosophers and other prominent people. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2076 |
| spellingShingle | Francois P. Retief Louise Cilliers Burial customs, the afterlife and the pollution of death in ancient Greece Acta Theologica |
| title | Burial customs, the afterlife and the pollution of death in ancient Greece |
| title_full | Burial customs, the afterlife and the pollution of death in ancient Greece |
| title_fullStr | Burial customs, the afterlife and the pollution of death in ancient Greece |
| title_full_unstemmed | Burial customs, the afterlife and the pollution of death in ancient Greece |
| title_short | Burial customs, the afterlife and the pollution of death in ancient Greece |
| title_sort | burial customs the afterlife and the pollution of death in ancient greece |
| url | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2076 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francoispretief burialcustomstheafterlifeandthepollutionofdeathinancientgreece AT louisecilliers burialcustomstheafterlifeandthepollutionofdeathinancientgreece |