There might be a shortage of a lot of things right now, but there has not been a shortage of chances to practice your crying skills. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of opportunities to put that crying repertoire to good use. If you lived a few thousand years ago, though, you could turn your tears into the currency of the day as a professional mourner.
Hired funeral-goers were common throughout the ancient world. They could be found in Egypt, China, Greece, Rome, and more. In some instances, they played roles in religious rites. In others, mourners were signs of wealth.
In Egypt, funerary rituals would not be complete without two professional mourners to play the roles of the goddesses Isis and Nephthys. These hired mourners were not related to the dead, and their role would be to stand at opposite ends of the deceased’s body. Egyptian mourners were required to be women who did not have children. Meanwhile, Ancient Greek mourners were known as moirologists. In true Greek fashion, it was a position that added a dramatic flair to funerary practices. Moirologists gave performances that represented the life of the deceased, and they led chants with cries and wails to honor the dead.
These professional mourners were important steps in the funerals of their respective civilizations, but for something truly over-the-top, you need to hop over to Rome. In Rome, mourners were not there to help provide solace to the family of the deceased or to help souls transition to the afterlife; they were there to show how rich and awesome the dead guy was.
Professional Mourners Were The Life Of Ancient Funerals
Source: Pinoy Daily News
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