Funeral homes Northern Cambria, PA, serve as the backdrop for the neighborhood’s funerals. The history of funerals is as old as mankind. Since the beginning of time, man has followed some ritual to pay respect to the dead. Mostly, these rituals are based on religion and therefore vary from one religion to another.
The first funerals are traced back to thousands of years before Christ (BC). Upon discovery, the bodies were found buried next to items that were considered as gifts for the deceased.
The Egyptian Era
Around four thousand BC, Egyptians began to mummify their dead. The preservation of the body was conducted based on the status of the dead when it was alive. For instance, King Tutankhamun was mummified and preserved in a case known as a sarcophagus.
The European Era
During the same time as the Egyptian era, catacombs were used to keep the dead bodies. About 6 million people are estimated to be buried inside the tunnel passing under the city. The tunnel now serves as a tourist attraction for people from around the globe.
The Romanian Era
In the 1st century following the death of Jesus Christ, ‘Columbariums’ were first put to use by the Romans. These were big rooms which were used for storing ashes of the dead.
The North-American Era
Tribes in native North America used to bury their dead in the ground with mounds on the head of the grave.
Although funerals differ based on factors like the culture and religion of the deceased, there are common identifying features. In all cases, the most important thing to focus on is saying goodbye to the deceased. This isn’t the goodbye that you would give in an ideal world. In that world, there is no reason for goodbyes because death and hardship don’t exist.
In our own world, death is a reality that must be faced. The funeral helps you process what happened. That’s why the overall structure of funerals hasn’t changed very much throughout history. People want to gather to see the body and speak about what happened. They want to connect to other people who may have experienced the same thing. It’s impossible to host a memorial that’s “perfect.” There will always be things that you wish you could change. However, if you use past traditions to guide you, you give yourself a good chance of being happy with the ultimate memorial.
The future of funerals can be divined. The need, the imperative need to do something to show your respect for your loved one will still be there. So will the desire to grieve with other people. These are the desires that are intrinsic to human nature. To change these needs, you would need to change the part of men and women that makes them human.
Funerals can be stressful whether you’re simply a guest or planning the entire thing. One reason is because of the expectations hanging on the event. People want the closest thing to closure that they can find. A funeral provides sensations that it’s hard to get any other way. You can connect to a funeral home in Northern Cambria, PA.
