Where Funerals And Their Customs Come From

Funeral homes in West Chester, PA are based on customs that various cultures have and are celebrated in various ways. As a result, you'll see that no two funerals are alike. Because of that, it makes people interested in knowing just how funerals came to be and why we have customs that we follow to make the funeral more respected and traditional. We've got the information you need to see why funerals are held the way they are and even why we dress the way we do! 

The Romans Were Influential 

The tradition of wearing black to a funeral is believed to be from the Romans. During a funeral, they would wear black after the passing of a loved one, and other cultures followed suit. In particular, wearing black was big in British culture and became a popular option for Victorians. As a result, it's one of the funeral customs that we still have today. 

Each Culture Had Differences In Funeral Customs 

In ancient Egypt, for example, they would send their loved ones to Heaven with all their belongings, believing they needed them on their next journey. In Rome, they considered it an honor to hold processions as well, but the louder the spectacle was, the wealthier or more important the person was. While this might seem over the top today, that was nothing back then. Rich people would hire people to ensure that their funeral was the loudest! 

Flowers Weren’t Always Used 

In fact, for a while, flowers weren't used at all. Instead, they would use rosemary. This was to help with the smell of the bodies, as they would be out for days or weeks before the burial. They would also carry sprigs to the funeral and cast them in the coffin or put them around the area to help. The rosemary was associated with eternal life, so it would have been bad form if you didn't have some with you. It was highly regarded in the area of funeral customs. 

It’s Instinctual To Honor The Dead 

It seems that no matter what culture you're from or funeral customs you have, it's a human instinct to honor our dead. Gravestones can be traced back to colonial times and ancient Europe. In Egypt, they had obelisk-style options that showed that different cultures saw the benefits and compassion of giving families a final resting place. This is one of the most traditional and popular funeral customs, and it is one that we still honor today. 

Things Have Changed 

As far as funeral homes in West Chester, PA customs are concerned, a lot has changed, but something hasn't. We still honor our dead and let them rest in peace, but we don't need trumpets to sound off when we do. Unless it's something that you want to adopt for your family or it's in your culture's customs to do so. We still wear black; in certain countries, rosemary is still around the coffin. As you can see, the funeral customs of the past have made their way into the future, and what we do now will probably be what our future generations adopt as well. That means the cycle of honoring our loved ones will never fade away.