Why did the greeks put coins in the mouth of the dead?

BIRYTIS (Troas) greek bronze (350-300 BC)

In ancient Greece, a custom was to place coins on the eyes or in the mouths of the deceased. This ritual, steeped in mythological and symbolic beliefs, reveals much about how the ancient Greeks perceived death and the afterlife.

The placing of a coin in the mouth of a dead person to accompany him on his journey to the kingdom of Hades is among the best-known funeral rites of the Greek world.

This monetary practice in the funerary context has been linked to the myth of Charon. The old ferryman’s mission was to transport on his boat the souls that Hermes brought him. To lead them to the world of the dead, Charon made them cross either the river Styx or Acheron, or Lake Acherousia, for the sum of an obol. In literary sources, this obol of Charon is designated as vaùXoç or niaeôç (Aristophanes, Frogs 140), jtop0nrjvov (Callimachus, Etymologicum Magnum, 247.41) and SavobcTi (Pollux, Onomasticon, IX, 82; Suidas, s.v. ôavcbcri).

 

CHARON obol (5th-1st century BC)

 

The rite of passage: Charon and the obol

The coin, often an obol, served as payment to Charon, the ferryman of the Underworld. According to Greek mythology, Charon transported the souls of the deceased across the rivers separating the world of the living from that of the dead. Without this payment, it was believed that the soul could not make this passage and would be doomed to wander eternally between the two worlds.

 

Symbolism of the coin

In this tradition, the coin symbolized more than just a transaction. It represented preparation for the final journey, a metaphor for the transition from life to death. This ritual reflected a deep belief in an afterlife and an acceptance of mortality as an integral part of human life.

 

Variations and interpretations

Although the practice is most commonly associated with ancient Greece, variations of this rite have been observed in other ancient cultures, such as the Egyptians and the Romans. Each of these cultures had its own interpretation of this ritual and the beliefs associated with the afterlife.

 

Conclusion

The custom of placing coins on the eyes or in the mouths of the dead in ancient Greece is a fascinating testimony to the interaction between religion, mythology, and cultural practices. It illustrates the depth and complexity of ancient beliefs about death and the afterlife, offering valuable insight into the mentalities and traditions of that time.

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