Life after Death @museum.de

Every settlement inevitably had graves for its inhabitants. As stipulated by the Twelve Tables (the oldest written Roman law), these were always located outside the settlements, usually along important roads.

During the first three centuries AD, the deceased were usually cremated at a cremation site called USTRINA, which belonged to the cemetery. The body was washed, anointed, and dressed in festive clothing. The deceased was buried with items from his or her personal possessions (e.g., jewelry, tools, tableware), food and drink as provisions for the journey, and a small contribution as ferry fare for the journey to the realm of the dead. Family members and mourners dressed in white ensured a dignified funeral ceremony and a burial befitting the deceased's status.

According to Roman belief, the deceased were destined to lead a more or less joyless existence in the realm of shadows. In order for the dead to find peace, the living were supposed to remember them always. For this reason, elaborately designed, colorfully painted grave monuments were erected above the graves. Carved inscriptions proclaimed the name, age, occupation, social status, and origin of the deceased.