In the country villages in Cyprus a small lozenge-shaped tile, upon which are inscribed the initial letters of (
Greek characters), is placed between the teeth, which custom took the place of the coin which in heathen times occupied the same situation as payment to the ferryman Charon.
As the funeral procession leaves the house an earthen jar or vase is thrown from one of the windows as a preservative charm against death coming again to that home.
Ten or twelve years since it was the custom in Athens for all classes to engage a band of music to accompany the procession. Poor people clung to this expensive demonstration with tenacity, and thought it equal in importance to the priest and religious ceremonial, and often to secure it involved themselves in debt. This is however no longer allowed, and only the military, or those who have been decorated for any cause, are considered entitled to it.
The lid of the coffin is borne along in the procession, and when the grave is reached, the clothes, previously to placing on the lid, are entirely destroyed or rendered valueless by being snipped with scissors, or saturated with oil. This was formerly alleged as necessary in order to prevent the cupidity, or frustrate the malice of demons. The precaution however is salutary against cupidity other than that of demons, when, as in the case of wealthy ladies, they are clothed in rich satin with adornment of costly lace, as I have frequently seen.
In every cemetery and on every grave in most parts of Greece will be observed broken earthen-vases. That these are thrown down with the same intent as those from the windows above mentioned there can be no doubt, namely, to scare away evil spirits, or as a charm, but in Athens the custom has survived the meaning attached to it, at least many whom I asked professed to know of no meaning, only that they always did it. There is an allusion to this custom of breaking jars in one of their poets, Antoniades, who describes it in his Creteid as being done to frighten away the demons, "who are always hovering around a newly-departed spirit to bear it off to hell."[1]
Forty days after the interment there is a service held in the church,
- ↑ (
Greek characters)
