Life after Death @museum.de

We are in the lapidarium, in front of the Sumelocenna Museum. The centerpiece is the Jupiter Giant Column. The path is lined with votive stones and gravestones.

Imagine walking along a Roman road—graves line your path on the right and left. For the Romans, this was quite normal. Their cemeteries were not hidden away somewhere, but were clearly visible outside the cities, often directly on the main roads. This was required by the Twelve Tables, the oldest Roman law code. Death was part of life, and that should be visible.

When a person died, a precisely regulated ritual began. First, the body was washed, anointed with fragrant oils, and dressed in festive clothing. Then it was taken to the so-called ustrina – a special place of cremation. There, the body was burned, because cremation was common in the first centuries after Christ.

But it wasn't just the body that went on its final journey – personal belongings accompanied it too. Jewelry, tools, and tableware were included. And, of course, food and drink were essential provisions for the afterlife. Sometimes a coin was even added – the so-called obol. This was to help the deceased pay the ferryman to the realm of the dead.

The funeral was a solemn ceremony. Family members and professional mourners, dressed entirely in white, ensured a dignified farewell. Thus, death was not only seen as the end, but as a transition. To another world, where one should arrive safely.