Burial+Customs+1

Burial Customs: Vikings: The Vikings would burry their dead with their possesions that they valued most. Maya men were usually buried with their tools and weapons while the women were buried with their utensils and jewelry. Along with their possessions, they would be burried with a small amount of food and drink so they wouldn't be hungry on the trip to the other world. It was common for a Viking to be burried with his or her boat layed across their grave. If the dead did not own a boat their people would place stones around their grave in the shape of a boat because they believed that traveling by boat was the best way to get to the other world.

Maya: The Maya's dead would be put to rest with a piece of maize, or indian corn, and a stone bead placed in their mouth. The maize served as food for their long journey to the heavens and the bead was used as a toll for them to get there. Their graves would face either north or west, the direction of the Maya heavens, so that it was easier for them to access the other world. Before the bodies were placed inside of their grave, they were rapped in cotton blankets. Only people of the highest ranks were buried in actual tombs. The tombs had nine "step platforms" that represented the nine layers of the underworld. The Maya culture believed that the color red was a symbol of death and second birth. The dead bodies had scraps of cinnabar, or red sulfide, laid on them to substitute pigment.

Jewish: In most religions people leave flowers on the dead's graves. Although Jews will leave stones on their graves to show that they have not been forgotten and to pay their respects.

Roman: The Romans did both cremations and burials. During a cremating ceremony, not only did they cremate the body, but they burned the dead's personal possessions as well. The ashes were put into a container and then burried in a cemetary. If a person was to poor to afford a proper cremation, their family would cremate them at their own homes and keep the ashes. Although if one was going to have a burial and were to poor to have a funeral, their friends and family would put their money together for their friend.

African: During an African burial, an animal would usually be sacrafaced. They believed that it was a respectful thing to do and that it served as food on their long journey to the heavens. Most of the time they would give sacraface an ox, if the person was the last living in their family the ox would help take them to the afterlife. Africans were also buried with their personal possessions. Africans could only refere to some one as dead if they were the last one in their family to die.

Citations:

"Tombs and Funerals." __Roman Burial Customs__. University of Michigan's Kelsey Muesum. 23 Jan. 2007 .

Waidson, Gary. "Viking Burial Customs and Food." __Lore Saga__. 23 Jan. 2007 .

"Maya Death Rituals." 31 Jan. 2007. 23 Jan. 2007 .

"Why Do Jews Put Stones on Tombstones?" __Jewish Virual Library__. 23 Jan. 2007 .