GT 3ZS/ ■NRLF E STb W&^: m- \ / ■t!^^ ..-.^ ■p-m GREEK FOLKLORE. On the Breaking of Vessels as a Funeral Rite in Modern Greece. IVanslated from the Original of N. G. P0LITI8, Professor of the University of A*. he n.^. LOUIS DYER. LONDON: HARRISON AND SONS, ST. MARTIN'S LANK, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty. 1893. GREEK FOLKLORE. On the Breaking of Vessels as a Funeral Eite in Modern Greece. Translated from the Original of N. G. POLITIS, Professor of the University of Athens. LOUIS DYER LONDON: HAEEISON AND SONS, ST. MAETIN'S LANE, Printers in Ordinary to Rer Majesty. 1893. 28 N. G. PoLiTis. — The Breaking of Vessels as a EAAHNIKH AAOrPAMA TTepi THC epaucecoc drreicjC)N Kara thn KHAeiaw. To KQi noAAoTc dAAoic AaoTc eOiMON thc epaucecoc napd touc TQcpouc drreiwN, dcpiepOMeNCON eic touc NCKpouc h eic thn KHAeiQN xpHCMeucdNTOON, THpe?Tai KQi napd tco Ka0' hmqc 'EA- Ahniko) Aacp, KOTdAoinoN kotq ndcoN niGaNOTHTa on thc dno- TOTHC dpXOtlOTHTOC. AlOTI Aid TOU eGlMOU TOUTOU AUNQTOI Nd elHrneH H eupecic epaucMdTCON KepaiweicoN drrei'coN €n tco uno ToO dNCOTaTOu dNOi'rMQTOC toSn uho toO Kupi'ou X. TcouNTa dNacKa90eNTOON Mukhnqicon Td9C0N- cxH/waTizoMeNw pdepco, to) npoonpiOMGNCp fccoc eic x^dc ^, KaOobc eni'cHc kqi oi MepdAoi twn KepoMicoN ccopo'i €N TH dpxcti'a 'AAelaNApGi'a, hc ai npoc dNO- ToAdc KQi MGceMppiaN THC NGcoTepac noAecac dNCocpepeiai kqi oi pouNOi cuNiCTaNTQi dnoKAeicTiKwc aT\6 THC Kopu9HC Mexpi TOO eic pdeoc 8— 1 6 KQI nAeioNCON MCTpcoN dpxiKoO eAd90uc Ik CTpOOMdTOON TeepaUCMeNOON KepdMCON AirUHTldKOON, 'PCOMQIKCON KQI ' EaAhniko3n Aia96pcoN enoxwN, dno thc kti'cgcoc thc noAecoc uno 'AAeSdNApou Mexp) thc dAoiceooc quthc uno twn 'ApdpcoN 2. OuTOC Ae KOTO TiNac elNQi 6 Aoroc Ai* ON eNi'oTe Td €N toTc dpxaioTc 'EaahnikoTc Td90ic eupiCKOMeNa AhkuGiq cxoucin dno- KGKpOUCMCNON TON nuGMCNQ ^, Kq'i HOAAd KQGoAOU TOiN KTEplC- MdTOON 9epouci Td Txnh eniTHAec IneNexQei'cHC auToTc pAdpnc CN ToTc * EAAHNIKoTc Td90IC *, KQI GN npoVCTOplKoTc THC ^opeiou Eupd)nHc ^ ^ BA. Che. Belger, cn Berliner philol. Wochenschrifi, 1891 (col. 707). ^ T. NepouTCOC, KepOMJooN Aa3ai f.Nenirpa90i, dNfcupiCKOM£Nai eN th apxa'ig ' AAfcgaNApcia, c. 3 kg. Kui cn ' ABHNaicp (nepioAiKO) currpwMMQTi ••Aei/fnicoN), i»874^i»i ^iilcjl2i5 kI. I ^.fierinaftfi-BlSiiiijer', Griechische-Privataltetihumer, 1882, c. 380. , , * JHernviij».-Blumner, ^tur. I •Oti^lSijuJ!^,; eN • YiPlwidlungen der Berliner Gesellschaft fur Anthro- pologie Sfc, 1892, c. 166 K€. — Nun €n 'EAAqAi cx'izouci xd cuNBanTOMeNa rco NCKpo) eNAuMOxa Kai u9acMaTa- ctAAd xoO eSouc xouxou Aoroc (peperai h • • Funeral Bite in Modern Greece. 29 GEEEK FOLKLOEE. On the Breaking of Vessels as a Funeeal Rite in Modern Greece. Translated from the original of K G. Politis, Professor at the University of Athens, by Louis Dyer. The custom in question obtains among many peoples besides our own, and elsewhere as in Greece is probably a survival from the very remotest antiquity. Vessels either especially dedi- cated to the deceased or else having been used in the funeral- rites are broken at the grave. This custom may explain the discovery of fragments of vases on the raised-step (BdOpov) at the upper opening of the tombs excavated at Mycenae by Mr. Ch. Tsountas. Certainly libations could naturally and properly be made at this step.^ Perhaps the same explanation accounts for the huge heaps of potsherds at Old Alexandria, where, east and south of the modern city there are mounds consisting exclusively, — down to a depth which ranges between 8 and 16 metres, — of Greek, Egyptian, and Roman potsherds be- longing to various epochs and deposited in successive layers beginning with its foundation by Alexander and ending with its capture by the Arabs.^ This rite, requiring as it did the fracture of ritual vessels, serves to account — as some think — for the numerous lecythi with their bottoms broken away which are found in ancient Greek tombs, ^ for this reason, too, most funeral offerings, both in the tombs of Greece,'* and in those of prehistoric Europe^ bear unmistakable marks of intentional mutilation of some kind. ^ See Chr. Belger in tlie Berliner Philologische WocJienschrift, 1891 (col. 707). 2 T. Neroutsos, Inscribed handles of vases found at Old Alexandria^ p. 3 ff.- See also the Athenaion, an Athenian periodical, 1874, vol. iii, p. 215 ff. ^ Herrmann-Bliimner, QriecMsche Privatalterthiimer, 1882, p. 380. ^ Herrmann-Bliimner, op. cit. ^ Olshausen, Verhandlungen der Berliner Gesellschaft fiir Anthropologie, &c., 1892, p. 166 ff. To-day, in Grreece, they cut all the clothes and wrappings of the dead, but the current reason given is that this is done to guard against depreda- tions from the riflers of tombs, and there is no reason for going farther afield to account for it. 411408 ^2 30 N. G. POLITIS. — The Breaking of Vessels as a *En *EAAdAi NUN GpauoNjai nnAiNa drr^i^ct eni tou 70900 kqi TTpO THC OIKl'aC, Kaxd THN llOAON TOU NEKpOU, GNiaXOO AG Kq'i KQTa THN oAON, HN Aiep^eTQi H tHiKHAeioc noMHH. 'AnaNTQxoG CXeAON THC 'EAAqAOC, KQO' HN CTITMHN 01 N6Kp06dnTai KOTQ- pipdzouci TON NeKpoN, 6 lepeuc eKcpcoNCON to rpc(9iK6N : Fh el KOI eic fHN dneAeucH ^, enixeei eni toG Tdcpou oAi'roN uAoop Ik AapHNOu npdc toCto komizomenhc, htic ndpauTQ Gpaueiai kq'i pdAAei epQKa x<^MaTOC- omoicoc kqi oi napiCTdMeNOi eic ton eNTacpiacMON nomi'zouci GpHCKeuTiKON KaeflKON Nd pi'vpooci x^wa eni TOU N€Kpou, eMcpooNOUNTec : 0i6c cxcopec ton, enoMeNOi OUTCOC dNenifNCjocTCOc Tto noAaicaTdTCo 'EaAhnikq) nomco tco KeAeuoNTi ToTc nepiTUXoOciN dTd9Cf) coiMaTi enpdAAeiN qutcu THN ^. EInqi a' dliON napOTHpHcecoc oTc h toiquth lepOTeAecTi'a HN ouAeic "EaAhn lepeuc napaAei'nei KOTd ton eNTa9iacM6N, Acn *Kupa30H ino THC eKKAHCiac, Aioti ouAeMi'a quthc MNei'a riNeTQi €N TH NeKpOOCIMCO dKOAOUGlOC ^. *0 Kupioc Edward Tylor octic MeTd eauMocTHC noAu- MaGeiac KOTeAele thn unapIiN napanAncicoN eGiMOiN napd AaoTc THC 'Aci'ac, thc *A9piKHc, thc 'AiwepiKHc, thc AucTpaAi'ac, €n9epei noAAdc eu9ueTc eiKociac nepi toon AoIqctcon afTiNec napecxoN d90pMHN eic thn rcNecm toon IGimoon tKeiNO^N ^. TTap' HMouN a' 01 lepeTc kqi toon Aqikoon oi AopiooTepoi, €900- TOiMeNOi nepi thc cnnoiqc tou eGiMOu, onep unoAaMBdNOuci GpHCKeUTIKON NOMIMON, dnOKplNONTQI OTI cInQI CUM^OAIKH HQpd- CTQcic THC AiaAuceooc TOU dyuxou coomqtoc eic Td CTOixeTa, kl (Ln elNQI CUNTeGeMCNON, THN fHN KQI TO UAOOp. *H QAhGhC omcjoc eNNOia qutoO elNOi Aunqton NOMizoMeN no QNeupeGH Aid TTp09{)Aa2ic ano thc lepocuAixxc toon TUM3opu)(a)N ouAeMia A* ONotrKH uirapxei N CtNaZHTHCCOMeN OAAON. ^ Fen. iii. 19. ^ Ba. npoc toTc aAAoic AiAiaNON, TToik. iot. v. 14. ' Kae' OCON riN00CKOM€N MONON eN fopTUNia THC TTeAOHONNHCOU THpeTlQI MeN H oAAh iepoTeAecTia, GeN cuNeOizoNTai 6' h eirlxucic tou uboTOC kqI thc AapHNOu H epaucic. * Tylor, Ptimitwe Culture, 3rd ed. 1891. t. i. c. 483-4. Funeral Bite in Modern Greece. 31 The present Greek custom is to break clay vessels upon the grave, and also, as the remains pass out, in front of the dead man's house. Sometimes the same thing goes on along the whole road followed by the funeral. Nearly everywhere in Greece the instant the dead is lowered into the grave the officia- ting priest, while pronouncing the words, " Dust thou art and unto dust sJialt thou return'''^ pours water upon the grave from a vessel specially brought for the rite. This done the vessel is instantly broken while the priest flings with it upon the grave a handful of earth. The mourners and bystanders at a funeral 'all deem it their religious duty to throw earth upon the dead, saying " May God forgive him (or her).'' Thus they, without knowing it, conform to the practice inculcated by immemorial custom upon the ancient Greeks, whereby they were bound to strew earth upon any whom they saw unburied.^ It is note- worthy that this religious rite, which no Greek priest would think of omitting, has never received the sanction of the Church, and is nowhere mentioned or provided for in the funeral service.^ Dr. Edward Tylor, to whose remarkable learning we owe proofs of the existence of similar customs among various Asiatic, African, American, and Australian peoples, offers many well considered hypotheses to account for the firm footing of these customs in popular beliefs.'* In Greece, when priests or enligh- tened laymen are questioned about the meaning of this custom which they adhere to as a religious rite, their answer is that it symbolizes the dissolution of the soulless body into earth and water, its component elements. I believe, however, that its real or whole meaning can best be inferred after comparison with beliefs and customs of a similar kind elsewhere. A careful scrutiny of these justifies the inference that this practice of ^ Genesis iii, 19. 2 See among others ^lian, Var. Hist, v, 14. ^ The only place known to rae where the pouring out of the water and the breaking o£ the vessel are omitted from the rite, otherwise punctiliously observed, is Grortynia, in the Peloponnesus. * Tylor, Primitive Culture, 3rd ed. 1891, vol. i, 483 f. 32 N. G. PoLiTis. — The Breaki7ig of Vessels as a THC QNapoAHc npoc dAAa napanAHCia Kai jdc cuNa9e?c auroTc AoIacTdc. 'EieydzoNTec Ae Mef elonjdcecoc tqCtq, cuNdpoMeN OTi Auo HCQN ai Kupi'ai lAeai kl (Ln npOHAGe to eGiMON thc epauceooc toon drreicoN. A'. *H lAea oti ndN to xP'^ciMeOcoN npoc KaOapMouc npenei nq KaTacTpa9H, onooc mh pepHAooeH Ai qAAhc xpHcecoc, kqi MeiooGH outooc h toon KaGapMOON eNeppeia* KQi B' OTI Td9i6pooMeNa etc touc NeKpouc npenei eni'cHc no KaTacTpe900NTai onooc e2ac9aAizHTai thc d9iepoc)ceooc 6 CKondc, ocTic ed eMOTaioTTO on tuxon eriNCTO qAAh tic xRhcic qutoon. *Qc Ae Ta eni toO Td90u eNarizoMCNa eM\j/uxa ineTiGeTO oti Aid TOO GQNdTOU aUTOO KaGlCTONTO UnHpeTIKd TO) TIMOOMCNCp NieKpO), outw kqi Td CKeuH eni'cHc unoAoMpaNOMeNa napd toTc KOTd 91JCIN AaoTc, npenei Nd KaTacTpa9oocH, Fno xpHciMeucoociN quto), QNenTHAeia ontq npoc ndcoN qAAhn xRhcin. 'Qc npoc TO npooTON napaTHpo?MeN oti kqi nOn, koGcoc tq ndAai, cuNeGizoNTQi KaGapMOi KOTd Tdc KHAei'ac, kqi ku iweN toTc dpxai'oic xpoNoic 01 eni thn oikion toO neNGouNTOc d9iKN0UM6N0i eKaGai'pONTO KOTd thn IIoAon nepippamoMeNOi uAqti toCto Ae npOUKeiTO 6N drreiOIC KepOMeiO) kl QAAHC OIKIQC KCKOMICMeNON, to a' drreToN 6KaAe?T0 dpAdNiON^. Nun eN nAeicTOic 'Eaahni- KOIC TOnOIC H KdGapCIC riNCTQI KQTa THN enONOAON dno THC KHAei'ac, CUNICTQMeNH eic NiVin toon X^'P^^N toon MeTQCXONTCON QLTHC, HTIC a>C cni TO nAei'cTON riNeTQI €N TH OlKlQ TOO NCKpoO 2. 'En Kunpcp Ae Kaf elai'peciN Ni'nTOuci tqc yiei^okc en auToO toG ' TToAuAeuKHC, H, 65. — ^x^^- 'ApiCT09. Nt9. 838: «eeoc hn Mexd to €Kko- micGhnqi ^6 ccomq KaBapMOu )(apiN dnoAoi)feC0ai touc oik€iouc toO TeGNecoTOC* — 'Hcuxioc, A. dp^otNiON- « TO dpAaNiON eTiSeTO npo thc Gupac thc oiKiac,» *ApiCT0(pdN. 'EKKAHcictz. 1033. — BA. kq! Hermann-Blumner, op. cit. p. 365. — TTepI oMolcoN KaGapMOON napd 'PcoMaloic pA. Bekker, Gallus, t. iii. c. 378. ^ Kopan, " AroKxa, t. p. c. 404 Ke. — *l(o. TTpcoTO^^iKOu, TTepi thc nap hmTn Ta9HC, *Ab. i860, c. 13. — '0 €N KcoNCTaNTiNOunoAei 'Eaa. 91A0A. cuA Aofoc, T. iG'. c. 139 (eN TzecMe thc MiKpdc 'Ac'iac). — 'El iAIcon Ae nAnpo- ^opiooN r'N0JCK0M€N OTI toCto cuNeiGizeToi Kai eN FopTUNict, 'AGHNaic, Tpi- XcoNia Koi eN tici toon KukAc'iAoon. — 'Omoicoc In tici toon x^P'^n thc PaAAlac, oi tnoNepxcmeNOi eK KHAeiac, NinTOuci toc x^'P"^, to Ae MOKTpoN Ai' ou TTONTec cnorrizoNTai plnTOuciN eic thn CTepHN (Noel, Coutumes, mythes, et traditions des provinces de France, c. 94). "OGtN Kai cNTauGa Funeral Rite in Modern Greece. 33 breaking vessels is based upon two leading notions or preoccu- pations, (a.) That everything used in the ritual of purification ought to be destroyed lest the efficacy of the purificatory act be annulled through the profane use afterwards of things employed in its performance, {h.) That objects given to the dead must be destroyed, to guard against the possibility of their use for other purposes which annuls their dedication to the dead. Just as animals sacrificed upon graves are believed by primitive man to become, by their death, serviceable to the departed, so all chattels (which were also naively endowed with a life of their own) must perish by fracture or mutilation of some kind in order to serve the dead man's purposes, becoming through such mutila- tion unfit for living use. With regard to (a), the first of these notions, we observe that now, as of old, purifications are a part of the funeral ritual. Among the ancients all who visited the house of mourning, were purified on issuing out of it by water, which was sprinkled upon them out of an earthen vessel brought from another house. This vessel was called apBdvcov} Nowadays, in a great many parts of Greece, this purification takes place after the funeral is over, and for the most part its rites are observed in the house of the dead, whither the mourners return.^ In Cyprus, by way of exception, the washing of the hands takes place over the open ^ Pollux, viii, 65. Scho. in Aristoph. Nub., 838 : " It was a custom after the dead had been borne to the grave for his whole household to wash tliemselves by way of purification. HesycMus, s. v. apMuLov : the vessel of purification (dpddviov) was placed in front of the house. Aristophanes, Ecclesiazousae, 1033. See also Hermann-Bliimner, op. cit., p. 365. For equivalent purificatory ritea at Eome, see Bekker's Oallus, vol. iii, p. 378. 2 Korae's Miscellanies, vol. ii, p. 404ff. J. Protodikos, Our Funeral Rites, Athens (1860), p. 13. Publications of the Greek Philological Association at Constantinople, vol. xix, p. 139, mention the ritual at Tzesme in Asia Minor. I know from private sources that this is the ritual observed at Grortynia, Athens, Trichonia, and in several of the Cyclades. The same holds good in certain districts of France ; people on returning from a funeral wash their hands, and the towel used to wipe them is summarily disposed of (Noel, Coutumes, mythes et traditions des provinces des France, p. 94). Here again we can discern anxiety to prevent any profane employment of what has served for a rite of purification. 34 N. G. POLITIS. — The Breaking of Yesseh as a 70900, epaucMGNCON elja toSn AapHNCON toO uAqtoc kqi toO npoc qAAon cKonoN NOMizoMeNOu eAaioAoxou drrei'ou ^ *En AfNcp Ae THc GpdiKHc Ni'nTONTQi eni roO MNHMaroc ndNiec 01 cuNOAeucaNxec thn KHAeiON, touto Ae noioOciN cbc AerouciN -fNa MH pAencoci ton NEKpoN kqG' uhnon ^,» Zacpcoc A* Im- 9aiNeTai h eNNOia toO KaGapMoO eN toTc 'ApKoAiKoTc eGiMOic thc epauceooc toon uApiooN Kaxd thn AidpaciN thc NeKpiKHC noMnHC, HN dAAa)(oG dAAoac elHroGciN (be KaTOOTepco ed I'AooMeN. 'En ToTc nAei'cTOic x^J^p'O'c thc 'ApKaAiac kqi In quth th TpinoAei AerouciN OTI « OMQ npocTiepdcH to Aei'vfOiNO, nperrei QMeccoc Nd ndpHc eNO konqto h Nid ( = MiaN) ctqmno h Nid AaHNa ( = AdrHN0N) reMQTH NepO KQI Nd TO X'O^CHC QHO TH Nid OlKpH TOO ApOMOU dc 'C THN QAAH H xdMOU *C TdrKOONQpl TOC CHITIOO coO H MpnpocTd 'c THN HopTO coG Me ouAo Tdrreio H Meca *c tqTc Teccepaic drKooNaTc toG chitioG kqi Nd cndcHc Torreio Km Nd ei'nHC : Aioc ( = 0e6c) c xiAoAoriKni eniCKe\t/eic , 'A9. 1 874, c. 98. — 'A9. SaKeAAapioN, KunpiaKa , 'Ao. 1890, t. i. c. 738. ^ eN KcoNCTONTiNOunoAei 'EAA. 91A0A. cuAAoroc, t. h. c. 549. ' Kut' dNaKO'lNOJCIN ToO 'ApKli^OC K. A. S. 'ApaNITOTTOUAOU. Funeral Rite in Modern Greece. 35 grave. The water-jars are then immediately broken, together with the oil-jar brought there for a different purpose.^ At Aenos in Thrace all who have followed the procession to the grave wash themselves there. The reason they give for so doing is " In order not to see the dead man in their dreams."^ But an idea of purification is obviously embodied in this custom as well as in the Arcadian custom of breaking jars while the funeral goes by. This is variously explained in various localities as will be shewn below. In most Arcadian country places, and even in Tripolitza itself, the injunction is " As soon as the remains come by your door, take a jug full of water, or a jar or some vessel, straightway empty this, pouring it from one end of the street to the other, or else empty it on the cornerstone of your house or pour it out in front of your door, or halfway between the four corners of your house. Break the vessel thus emptied and say, " May God forgive him (or her) and may the harm that fell on him not find us." I Sometimes those who are especially superstitious throw out all the water that may be stored anywhere in the house when a corpse happens to be 'borne past, and the reason given in such a case is " that the water is rough," that is impure, useless, — a pollution to the house, and must therefore immediately be thrown away that the house may be purified, " for water breeds worms," if left in a house after a corpse has gone past. Or again they account for their pouring out the " water because it makes things right," or *' to get the house clean."^ From (h), the second of the two notions mentioned above, spring various customs which bear testimony to the fixed popular belief that the water held by these broken vessels was an offering to the dead, and that the pouring out of it on the earth, together with the breaking of the vessel holding it, is the most effectual way for bringing the dead into possession of their own. The 1 G-. Louka, Philological Essays, Athens (1874), p. 98, A. Sakellarion, Cypriote Studies, Athens (1890), vol. i, p. 738. 2 See Tol. viii, p. 549, of the Proceedings of the OreeJc Philological Society of Constantinople. ' On the authority of Mr. A. S. Abanitopoulos, an Arcadian. 36 N. G. POLITIS. — The Breaking of Vessels as a AHAOTajOl TpOnOI OTTCOC AqBH to npOC9€p6MeNON 6 NGKpOC. *Qc KQi napd to?c nAei'cTOic AaoTc, oKwaia AiaTHpeTxai kqi napd TO?c "EaAhcin h Aolaci'a nepi enipicocecoc toon NGKpoaN km THC THC KQI H nap€nOM€NH TH AoIaClQ TQUTH CUNHGeiQ THC HpO- cpopac Tpo(pcc)N ejc aurouc. TToAAa)(oO thc'EaAqAoc elOKoAo- ©oCciN eNari'zONTec toTc NeKpoTc, cac In dAAr^i joncp AiaAoMpd- NOMGN ^. 'ENxaCea A* dpKOUMeGa n dNa(t)epcoMeN on eN tqTc TTAei'cTaic 'EaAhnikqic x<^PQic eni Tpi'a HMepONUKxa dNdnrouciN In TO) AooMOTi'cf) onoO €5evpu)(HC€N 6 N€Kp6c qkoi'mhton AlXNON KQI TTapaGeTOuciN dpTOuc kqi AdfHNON nAHpH uAqtoc 2. 'En KpHTH dnoTieejai km toO Td90u AdrHNOc uAqtoc kqi 0916x01 IkcT HMepac jeccapdKONra Aioti AoldzouciN on Kaxd ton xpoNON toOton h yu)(H ToO N€KpoG nepi9ep0MeNH eic touc tohouc eic ouc z(2)N napeupeGH nmei Ik toO uAqtoc Ikci'nou InaNepxoMeNH THN IcnepON ^ 'EnioxoC omooc AHCMONHGei'cac thc Innoiqc ToO Igi'mou InAdcGH qAAh AiKQioAoria, on AhAqAh to drreToN' ToC uAqtoc In to) 6\Ki^ toO GaNONTOC xpHciMeuei onooc nicer Mica 6 AidpoAoCj 6 6no?oc « riNCTai cqn Mupa kqi epxcTOi m TldpH THN yUXHN TOU neAOMlOU *.)» "H OTI Aid TOO KpOTOU TOaN epaucMeNOON drrei'coN iKAioaKONTQi 01 AaiMONec, ocoi nepiTpexoua 2HT0UNT6C NO CUpOOCI Aid THC pIQC CIC THN KOAOCIN THN ^UXHN ^ *En Tpin6A€i aI kqi In noAAoTc x^p'O'c thc MoNTiNeiac nicT66- ouciN OTI TorreTa GpauoNTai npoc IK96PHCIN toO Xdpou Km dnOTpOnHN QUTOO. ZunCIGIZOUCIN IkC? KOTd THN lK90pdN TOU * TTap9€N(0N , *Ae. 1872, T. ii. c. 143. * X. MerActNOu, A»xNoc AiopeNOuc, 1818, c. 273 (MaKe^ONia). "On to €6\M0N TOUTO Kpaxe? noAAaxoG thc 'EaAoiAoc f'NwcKOMeN e2 lAlac onti- AHV(/eo)C. ' Bj'bilakis, Neugriechisches Lehen, c. 67. — TTaNAcopn , 1876, t. xvii. c. 331- * Kar* ciNaKOiNCociN tou Kupiou f. ApociNH. — TTaponAHcia np6AH\i/ic em- Kparei noAAaxoO thc TaAAiac, onou k€nouci irctNTa Topreia ''no mh necH eic TO uAcop KQI nNifH H \\>vy^H TOU TeeNEcoTOC. (BA. Melu'siue, T. i. col. 97, 320, 456.) * 'Antcdnic'iAou KpHTmc , c. 346-7. — "Omoiq Innoiq onoAi^OTQi Kal efc thn JpaOciN nHA'iNcoN arreicoN to Mcrn Iap3aT0N , htic kqI dAAaxoG men cunei- eizetui, ciaipcTwc i,* cn KepKupg . Funeral Bite in Modern Greece. 37 Greeks are as firmly convinced, as are many other peoples, that the dead have a further lease of life upon earth. Hence the cus- tom of making offerings of food to them. These offerings are com- monly made in Greece as I have recorded at length elsewhere.^ Let it only be noted here that in many places a light is kept burn- ing for t hree consecutive days and nights in the chamber of the -3)^ departed where bread as well as a jar of water is kept in readi- i ness.^ In Crete a jar full of water is deposited at the grave, where it is left for forty days, the belief being that during all that time the departed soul wanders over the haunts where it lived, and returns every evening to drink of the water provided.^ In some places, where the meaning of this custom has been lost sight of, other explanations have suggested themselves. The jar of water placed in the house of the dead is for the devil to fall into when " he comes in the form of a fly to take off the soul of the deadr^ Or else the noise of the breaking of the jar drives away the demons who hover around seeking violently to drag off the dead man's soul to torments.^ At Tripolis and in many Mantineian villages it is believed that the vases are broken to frighten Charon, and to keep him away. There it is customary for the more well-to-do to break a 1 Parthenon (Athens, 1872), vol. ii, p. 143. 2 Ch. Megdanou, The Lantera of Diogenes^ 1818, p. 273, where Macedonia is spoken of. That this custom prevails widely in Grreece I know from private sources of information. ^ ByblJakis, Neugriechisches Lehen, p. 67. Pandora (1876), vol. xvii, p. 331. ^ This fact is kindly communicated by Mr. GI-. Drosines. An analogous pre- sumption is made in many parts of France, where they empty all vessels in order that the soul of the departed may not run the risk of falling in and being drowned (see Melusine, vol. i, col. 97, 320, 456). * Antoniados, Krete'is, p. 346 f. A similar significance is attached to the custom of breaking earthen pots as a part of the Great Sabbath. This is observed in many places, but most punctiliously at Corfu. 38 N. G. POLITIS. — The Breaking of Vessels as a NCKpoG NQ epaUOOCIN, 01 MEN GUnOpCOTepOl KQlNOUpfH UAplQlSl H AdrHNON, 01 a' dnopobxepoi naAaiON ti drreToN h dnAooc Kepa/wON npo FHC Gi'pac thc oiki'qc, h npo thc Gupac toO AooMariou gn a exeAGUTHceN 6 NCKpoc, h gn a Aoomqti'o) eleAexGH htoi €N tco AcoMaTiqj icon eiKONiCMajooN. To drreToN epauei cieNoc cupreNHC H 91A0C ToC eoNONTOC, cuNHGecTaTa Ae ruNH, dAAd npecpuric, Ixouca hAikiqn onco toon 50 eroaN* eic neon Ggn eniTpeneiai TOUTO AlOTI 01 NeOI elNQI dNl'cXUpOl N aNTIMeTOOniCCOCI TON XdpoN (« NQ Ta pai'ouN Me to Xapo ») h\ — onep dAnGecTepoN, — Aioti 9opouMeNOi ckAikhcin tou Xdpou, npOTiwooci nq eKGecoociN ec auTHN npecBuTHN mqAAon h ngon. TTicTeiouci Ae oti h Gpaucic TOO drrei'ou, eKcpopouca ton XdpON, e2ac9aAizei thn zoohn toon dAAooN. Kai eniAerouct GpauoNTec to drr^ToN «"ENaNe Mac ^nnpec, Moope Xdpo, NdNTOTOC I » ( = lAoO auTOc) — eNTauQa Gpau- CTQi TO drrei^ON — « dAAoNe GeN Mac naipNCic ! » h « onooc cndzei TO KepaMiAi, Itoc, pe Xdpo, Nd cndcH to Ke9dAi coO on lONdp- Ghc!» {v\ "ON lONaMnHC 'c TO cniTi Mac ! ») h « ciAepeNioi nq efcQCTe » (h « Nd eiMacTe ! ») h « Nd 'noi ciAepeNioi 01 niciNOi ! » v\ ""Enoc exdGH, 01 dAAoi ciAepeNioi ! » (unoNoelTOi « dc cTnoi »). Aerouci a' oti Gpauouci to drreiON '^r^^ no CKidzouNC to Xdpo,» H -Non f dKOucH 6 Xdpoc Kai no mhn 5aNdpGH,» h « no mh coiCH NopGH nAid 6 Xdpoc," h « rid no mhn laNdpGH 6 Xdpoc,» H « no mh ccoch nAid NdpGn koi oAAh poAd'c to cniTi Mdc,» h • pa NQ MHN ToO nepNdn nAid,» h « Nd lecndcH to koko 'c to K€9dAi tou Xdpou,» H « rid Nd 9urH to KaKO dnd to chi'ti Mdc,» H « rid Nd MH Mac iaNai'pH TO KaKO," H « fid Nd zHcouNe 01 dAAoi," H « nd Nd MHN neGdNH dAAoc,» h «na Nd MeiNOUNe 01 dnoceAoinoi," h « rid Nd'Nai 01 aAAoi repoi'.*^ ^ KctT* aNQKOiNCociN TOU K. A. S. 'ApaNiTonouAou, €Ttpoi Tponoi npoc eK- 96PHCIN TOU Xctpou Kara Tcic KHAeiac cuNei9izoNTai 01 e2e?c In 'ApKoAiof CNiOTC Gpauouci to KaAoMiAi h KaAoMi toG dproAeioG" kqAomon mhxoc l\ Mexpl 2 TTHxecoN, eniAepoNTec : «t6 KaAoMi to cndcec, Mcape Xapo, Mci to ciAepo ed MPopecHC,» h «ciAepeNioi ol niciNoi.» 'ENiaxoO Ae thc Mon- TiNeiac Kai Ah Kai eN TpmoAei kohtoucin ck toG cagaNOu MOKpoN AtoplAa, HN dNapTcbci npo thc Supac thc oiKiac h eic thn Aokon thc CTepnc (eic to Funeral Rite in Modern Greece, 39 new jar or jug on the occasion of a funeral, while the poorer people will break an old vessel or only a tile, before the house door, the door of the death chamber, or even inside the room where the body is laid out, which is the one where the holy pictures are kept. The vase is broken by some near relation or friend of the dead, in most cases by a woman. But she must be rather old, over fifty as a rule. No young person may do it, " since the young have not the strength to measure themselves against Charon," some say. Others put it more plausibly by say- ing that it is for fear of Charon's revenge that an old person is preferred to a young one. This breaking of a vase is believed to inspire Charon with fear and thus to preserve the lives of the survivors. While in the act of breaking they say, " Thou hast taken one from us, oh Charon, thou numbskull, here he is," — then they break the vase — " none other shalt thou take ! " Or again : " As this tile breaks, oh Charon, so be broken thy head if thou comest again " (or, " if thou enterest afresh this house of ours "). Or again : " May we (or ' you ') be of iron " ! Or, " one is lost, be the others as iron ! " (i.e., the others shall be as strong as iron). The accounts popularly given of this breaking of pots and potsherds is that they do it " to frighten Charon," or " that Charon may hear the noise and not return," or " that he may not come again to this house," or " that he may not have his will another time," or " that the harm may be upon Charon's head," or " that the harm may fly from our house," or " that the harm may not find us again," or " that the others may live," "that no one else may die," "that the survivors may bide where they are," or " may be lusty and strong."^ ^ I owe to Mr, A. S. Abanitopoulos the following record of Arcadian customg for terrifying Charon. Sometimes they break the rod of the loom which is from li to 2 metres long, saying " this rod hast thou broken, Charon, thou numbskull, but iron shalt thou not break ; " or, " may the survivors be as iron." In Tripohs, not to speak of parts of Mantineia, they cut long strips from the shroud and 40 N. G. POLITIS. — The Breaking of Vessels as a *A\Kd Aid TO X^OM^NON KQTd fHC UACOp ZCOHpON IxOUCI THN cuNeiAHciN 01 TO eeiMON TOUTO THpouNTec oTc riNGTai Aid Nd ApOCOOGH H YU^H TOU NEKpoO. ZunHGCOC H AdrHNOC TOO UAOTOC epaueTQ! napd thn Gupaisi thc oikiqc kotq thn gIoAon toO N€Kp0U ^. 'En Xl'cp AOldzOUCI MGN CUM9CC)NaC npOC TOUC GpHNOUC THC NeKpcociMOu aKOAouGiQc oti eninoNoaTaTON dpcoNa KappoAAei H Y^X*^ X^P'^^^^" "^^^ CCOMQTOC, npOC dNaK0U9ICIN A* aUTHC pi'nTOuciN eic thn oAon nnAiNa drreTa CAqtoc otqn elaxGn to Aei'vpctNON Ik thc oikiqc, hAhn Ae toutou noAAoi toon 91A00N kqi CUrr€Na>N pIFTTOUCI TOiaUTQ KQI OTQN AiepXHTQ! H nOMnH HpO THC oiKi'ac Ta)N, Aid Nd ApocicouN «thn Aaupa thc yuxHC » toO N€Kpou2. 'En Kunptp Ae KOTd thn ckkomiAhn toO NeKpoG Xunoucin oGcn kqi on AiepXHTQi h NCKpiKH noMnH npoc QNa- KOLCplCIN THC Y^X^^^ """^^ NEKpOU UAOOp KOGOpON CK HHAiNCON drreiooN, dnep aMccooc pinTONTCC xctwai cuNTpi'pouci ^. ZuneiGi- zouci npoccTi auToGi Nd eKxeoociN eic Tdc oAouc KdToniN toG NEKpoO KQI OAON TO eN TqTc UAplQIC TOU orKOU dnOTeTaMICUMeNON uAcop niCTeuoNTec oti exei miqnGh Aioti dnenAuNCN eN quto) THN aiMOCTafH MaxaipaN, Ai' hc dneKTeiNeN ton NeKpoN 6 XdpcjON H 6 vpuxonoMHoc "ArreAoc *. AhAonoti napexeTQi outcjo kqi qAAh, muGoAopikh quth, elH- THcic TOU eGiMOu, htic omooc eniCKOTi'zei thn koinooc KpaToOcoN AolQN, OTI TO UACOp elNQI TTpOC90pd npOC TON NCKpON KQI OTI enoMeNCiOc h GpaOcic toon drreiooN cKoneT thn e^accpdAiciN thc uno TOU NeKpou xpHceooc thc npoctpopdc tquthc. naxfepo) « r'o NO AecouNe to Xctpo on 2uNapeH,» niCTeuONxec on 6 XdpojN, ON GeAHCH NO enaNeASH oncoc dnoKTe'iNH aAAON TiNd ck thc guthc oikiqc, PAenooN to nponpiOMeNON npoc Accimon qutoG cxoinion ed