Funerals and remembrance: spices that mark them
Incense, spices and foods offered for the dead.
Funerals and remembrance use food, incense and spice as acts of respect, comfort and memory, and practices vary greatly among traditions and families.
Incense and fragrance
Frankincense, myrrh, camphor and sandalwood are burned in many traditions at funerals and memorials. Cloves, cinnamon and other aromatic spices have been used in funeral rites in several cultures, and in ancient Egypt resins and spices were used in embalming.
Memorial foods
Foods such as kolyva in Orthodox communities, sweet bread and soul cakes in parts of Europe, and pan de muerto in Mexico mark days of remembrance. They often contain cinnamon, anise, aniseed or cloves.
Shared meals
A shared meal after a funeral brings family and neighbours together. Dishes are simple and are chosen according to the faith and region.
Funerals and remembrance on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Cinnamon: Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, source