How Does Fascinating Death Rituals From Throughout History Work?

People from long ago had fun ways to say goodbye to someone who passed away, it was like a big party or special event for their friend who went to sleep forever.

Like Sending a Letter to Heaven

Imagine your best friend moves away and you want to send them a letter. You write it, put it in an envelope, and maybe tie it to a balloon so it can fly up high, that's kind of what some people did! They would write messages on paper or even put food in the sky, like putting cookies on a bird’s back so it could carry them to the stars.

A Big Happy Send-Off

Sometimes, people had big celebrations. They might dance, sing, or even burn clothes, not because they were sad, but because they wanted to show how much they loved their friend and make sure they had a happy trip to wherever they went next.

It's like when you say goodbye to your favorite toy, you might give it a hug, or maybe even put it in a special box so it can rest peacefully.

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Examples

  1. A child learns about how Egyptians mummified their pharaohs to live forever in the afterlife.
  2. Someone explains that Vikings threw their dead into the sea with their ships for a journey to Valhalla.
  3. A simple explanation of how Japanese people used origami to send messages to the departed.

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