Death is an uncomfortable subject for many folks. Perhaps it’s the severe emotional reaction people have to death—especially if it’s someone close—that makes the living act in bizarre ways. Or maybe it’s because death’s process is not well understood that causes normally rational individuals to believe in irrational concepts.
Yesterday, I was looking over notes from my coroner understudy period. (For those who don’t know of me, I was a coroner in a former life.) One segment in the training was understanding various cultural practices and traditions about death. This was valuable information because a difficult part of a coroner’s job is interacting with the deceased’s family, and those relatives can come from a diverse ethnicity with some pretty peculiar beliefs.
I thought I’d share thirteen strange superstitions about death that I’ve heard of over the years.
13. Coins on the Eyes
This weird practice dates to the ancient Greeks who believed the dead would travel down to Hades and need to cross the river Styx in order to arrive in the afterlife. To cross over, they needed to pay the boat driver, Charon, so coins were placed over the eyes of the dead so they’d be able to buck-up upon arrival.
Secondly, and more practically, many people die with their eyes open. This can be a creepy feeling, having the dead stare at you, and it was thought the dead might be eyeing someone to go with them. Coins were a practical item to weigh down the eyelids until rigor mortis set in—coins being round and fit in the eye sockets as well as being relatively heavy.
The most famous set of eye coins is the two, silver half-dollars set on Abraham Lincoln, now on display in the Chicago Historical Museum.
12. Birds and Death
Birds, understandably, were long held to be messengers to the afterlife because of their ability to soar through the air to the homes of the gods. It’s not surprising that many myths materialized such as hearing an owl hoot your name, ravens and crows circling your house, striking your window, entering your house, or sitting on your sill looking in.
Birds, in general, became harbingers of death but, somehow, the only birds I personally associate with death are vultures.
11. Burying the Dead Facing East
You probably never noticed, but most cemeteries are laid out on an east-west grid with the headstones on the west and the feet pointing east. This comes from the belief that the dead should be able to see the new world rising in the east, as with the sun.
It’s also the primary reason that people are buried on their backs and not bundled in the fetal position like before they were born.
10. Remove a Corpse Feet First
This was a Body Removal 101 procedure we learned in coroner school. We always removed a body from a house with the feet first. The practice dates from Victorian times when it was thought if the corpse went out headfirst, it’d be able to “look back” and beckon those standing behind to follow.
It’s still considered a sign of respect, but coroners secretly know it’s way easier to handle a body in rigor stage by taking it outside feet first and bending it at the knees to get around corners, rather than forcing the large muscles at the waist or wrenching the neck.
9. Cover the Mirrors
It’s been held that all mirrors within the vicinity of a dead body must be covered to prevent the soul from being reflected back during its attempt to pass out of the body and on to the afterlife.
This practice is strong in Jewish mourning tradition and may have a practical purpose—to prevent vanity in the mourners so they can’t reflect their own appearance, rather forcing them to focus on remembering and respecting the departed.
8. Stop the Clock
Apparently, this was a sign that time was over for the dead and that the clock must not be restarted until the deceased was buried. If it were the head of the household who died, then that clock would never be started again
It makes me think of the song:
My grandfather’s clock was too large for the shelf
So it stood ninety years on the floor
It was taller by half than the old man himself
Though it weighed not a pennyweight more
It was bought on the morn of the day that he was born
And was always his treasure and pride
But it stopped, short, never to go again
When the old man died
7. Flowers on the Grave
Another odd belief is about flowers growing on a grave. If wildflowers appeared naturally, it was a sign the deceased had been good and had gone on to heaven. Conversely, a barren and dusty grave was a sign of evil and Hades. The custom evolved to putting artificial flowers on the grave although it’s now discouraged by most cemeteries due to maintenance issues.
Additionally, it’s always been a practice to put wreaths of flowers on a casket. This seems to have come from another practical reason—the smell from scented flowers helped mask the odor of decomposition.
6. Pregnant Women Must Avoid Funerals
Ever heard of this? I hadn’t until I researched this article.
It seems to have come from a perceived risk where pregnant women might be overcome by emotion during the funeral ceremony and miscarry.
IMO, that’s pushing it.
5. Celebrities Die in Threes
And have you heard Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson died one-after-the-other, three days in a row? It’s an urban myth that this regularly occurs with celebrities, and it’s the celebrity curse.
To debunk this, the New York Times went back twenty-five years in their archives. Apparently, this is the only time three well-known celebrities died in a progressive three-day group.
4. Hold Your Breath
Another terribly impractical superstition is that you must hold your breath while passing a graveyard to prevent drawing in a restless spirit that’s trying to re-enter the physical world.
That might be a problem if you’re passing Wadi-us-Salaam in Najaf, Iraq. It’s the world’s largest cemetery at 1,485.5 acres and holds over five million bodies.
3. And the Thunder Rolls
Nope, not the Garth Brooks song. It’s thought that hearing thunder during a funeral service is a sign of the departed’s soul being accepted into heaven.
Where I grew up, thunder was thought to be associated with lightning and being struck by lightning was always a sign of bad luck, possibly even death.
2. Funeral Processions
There’re lots of superstitious beliefs around funeral processions.
First, some consider it very bad fortune to transport a body in your own vehicle. And approaching a funeral procession without pulling over to the side and stopping is not only bad taste, it’s illegal in some jurisdictions. It’s said if a procession stops along the way, another person will soon die and the corpse must never pass over the same section of road twice. Counting cars in a procession is dangerous because it’s like counting the days till your own death. You must never see your reflection in a hearse window as that marks you as a goner. Bringing a baby to a funeral ensures it will die before it turns one. And a black cat crossing before a procession dooms the entire parade.
One thing I know to be true about a funeral procession is what happens when you leave the back door of the hearse unlatched while quickly accelerating uphill.
1. Leaving a Grave Open Overnight
I don’t know if this is a superstition or not, but I see it as good, practical advice. According to the International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association, the standard grave size is 2 ½ feet wide by 8 feet long by 6 feet deep.
With a hole that big looming in the dark, cutting through the graveyard on the way home after getting a snoot-full at the bar, you could fall in and kill yourself.
What about you Kill Zoners? Have you heard any of these strange death superstitions? And do you have any additional ones to offer?
Interesting stuff, Sir…
If I might add to number 11 – oftentimes, in church associated graveyards, (or skull orchards as my grandfather called ’em), members of the clergy were buried “head west” so as to “address” their congregants… and proximity to the church building implied both religiosity and spiritual protection (hence the graves inside European cathedrals).
Then there’s the Appalachian tale of the man who was laid north-south so he could be as “crosswise” in the afterlife as he’d been before passing on…
As to transporting the deceased, when I smashed suitcases to pay my way through college, caskets were always loaded in the front bin – under first class – as a sign of respect – though I think there was more room and assisted with weight and balance. (And with containerized loading on the wide-bodies, they went in the tail compartment along with pets and other things that didn’t fit in the cans…)
The boxes the boxes were shipped in were labeled at each end for head/feet (as well as “Human Remains – Handle with Extreme Care”), and rode up the belt-loader head-first, and down feet first. Also, feet went towards the nose, as a matter of physics with internal fluids and the sudden deceleration of landing and braking (at least that’s what we were told – though it may be as much about not having the dearly departed looking back at a planeload of the delayed departed…)
We rarely had a hearse on the ramp, and so had to be as respectful as possible muscling everything from the belt-loader to the baggage cart – no six pall-bearers here – and of course, nothing else was loaded on the cart, let alone on top of the casket (after all, there are windows looking down on what’s going on…)
Interesting post, Garry. I’m aware of the covered mirrors, and I remember the grandfather’s clock song. I think I had it on a little Golden Record when I was a kid. Or else it was a piece I learned during my very short-lived piano lessons.
You “handled” this comment well, George. It’s interesting how you describe handling caskets in airline shipping. When I was with the coroner service, we’d sometimes have a body cremated before shipping it to its final destination. Our policy was always to send the ashes inside a full-sized casket so they’d be handled respectfully rather than just tossed in a box like a FedEx package. BTW, I’ve never heard the term “skull orchard”. Thanks for that!
WordPress is doing something weird, Terry. It posted my reply to George under your comment. However, thanks for your piece and to let you know my piano lessons ended at Chopsticks.
Growing up in a small town, we always pulled over when a funeral procession was making its way through as a sign of respect. I now live in a huge metropolitan area and never see funeral processions at all.
I haven’t seen a funeral procession in years, BK. I think that’s for a couple of reasons. One is that so many more people are cremated than buried. Two is Covid. No funerals were taking place.
I live in a large metropolitan area. I see them all the time. Most are short and go a short distance. But some, a police officer or a soldier killed in action, might be in a procession of 50 cars and driving 25 miles.
Creepy but fascinating stuff here. This should inspire some great stories — and maybe a few bad dreams.
I can see a storyline or two in this stuff, Mike. Maybe three or four.
Interesting post, Garry, and surely fodder for writing.
I was 8 1/2 months pregnant when my husband’s grandfather died. I loved the man and intended to pay my respects at his funeral, but the whole family, including Grandma, insisted I stay away. I thought it was ridiculous, but #6 may be why.
When I moved from the city to a rural area after marriage, I learned a lot of folk tales, and the ‘deaths come in threes’ was certainly not limited to celebrities. A neighbor across the street in the city where I now live, died of natural causes in June, and a man two houses down died in a freak accident in July. My next door neighbor said he’s the one who’s going to die in August, because everyone knows deaths come in threes.
And as for hearses, a high school friend bought one and outfitted himself with a top hat and long black coat and delighted in driving a bunch of us around in it. One night he drove to a cemetery that everyone knew was haunted, it having an albino caretaker with two albino Dobermans. It was delicious fun. We joked that the news headline would be, “Eighteen Teens Found Dead in Hearse in Cemetery.”
Great comment, Becky. And albino cemetery caretaker with two albino Dobermans? What’s not to like like about that!
For the record, I object to #12. 😉
Fascinating, Garry! The depth of the grave must depend on where you’re buried. In the U.S., the 6′ depth is misnomer since most are only 4′-5′ deep. Learned that little tidbit when I researched how to escape your grave. Remember that post? LOL
# 12 allows for all manner of symbolism… which dawned on me after reading it above that it’s used extensively in “The Terminal List” on Amazon Prime…
And 6′ Under is the name of a great restaurant here in Atlanta, across the street from (historic) Oakland Cemetery – resting place of golfer Bobby Jones (just a “chip shot” from Memorial “Drive…”), many of ATL’s mayors, Kenny Rogers, and Margaret Mitchell…
I thought of you when I typed out #12, Sue. You, of all people, know the true role of crows.
As for grave depth, it strikes me that 6-foot thing came from ground frost penetration so the remains in most places would never be frozen.
Many of these beliefs are connected to paranormal lore. Coins and particular birds appearing are often a sign that the dead person is saying “hi.” Mirrors are portals to the other side.
Stopping for funeral processions is very Southern, and most cities/states have traffic laws governing them. You can stop on certain kinds of roads but not others. It’s illegal to stop on an Interstate, for example. I actually got a law changed in my city with a letter to editor for my local paper about funeral processions. Some were without lights which made it hard to tell where it ended, and they were so spread out that going through red lights, even with a police escort, was a death hazard for everyone.
I grew up in an area where funeral processions were common, Marilynn. Back then, when you saw vehicles approaching with their headlights on in the daytime, you automatically gave way. With today’s lights-always-on safety feature, you’d never recognize a procession unless a hearse was involved.
Interesting post, Garry. I had heard of about half of these superstitions. Half of them are new to me. And, I have no new ones to add to your list.
I agree with Mike, that there is fodder or inspiration here for some stories. I might have to work something into my WIP with a dark magician from the end of the dark ages in 1313, Vid, who wants to live forever and passes down his “perfect strand” to the beginning of a new religion (Covid), which is marked by repeated cutting, inoculations, and transfer of the twisted strand “the code of life.” Hmm.
Have a good one!
Thanks, Steve. I’m starting to think Covid really became a religion to some. I still see people walking alone, outdoors in a park, wearing a mask.
But do their feet hit the ground beneath them?
Fascinating stuff, Garry. I had heard the myth about a bird striking the window being a harbinger of death.
When I was a child, my parents always pulled to the side of the road and stopped the car when a funeral passed by as a sign of respect. I still do that if I’m on a street where there’s little traffic and I can pull off to the side. I will at least slow down if nothing else, not because of a superstition, but because I think it’s a sign of respect.
I remember hearing about famous people dying in sets of three. John Kennedy, C.S. Lewis, and Aldous Huxley all died on the same day.
We had a bird strike our living room window the other day, Kay. It had such force that it left a perfect imprint of the body, spread wings, and tail on the glass. I didn’t take it to be a harbinger of fate, rather a reminder than cleaning the windows was overdue.
Fascinating, Garry. I always learn new info from your post.
As to crows, if a murder circling is a sign, I’d have been dead years ago b/c a big community hangs around my house. The only meaning I can attribute to this is the car will need to be washed.
We have seagulls that do that job, Debbie. Way too many seagulls. BTW, why is a flock of crows called a murder?
Thanks for the squirrel, Garry. This from the Tampa Bay Times:
Why is a group of crows called a “murder” instead of a flock?
Officially, a group of crows is a flock and the word “murder” is a poetic term used in literature that originated in England in the 15th century, according to various sources. The website for the PBS documentary called A Murder of Crows states there are “different explanations for the origin of this term, mostly based on old folk tales and superstitions.”
One states that crows often will come together and “decide the capital fate of another crow.” Another possible origin comes from people who view the “appearance of crows as an omen of death.” Also, the phrase “murder of crows” comes from a time in history when groups of animals were described in different ways, according to the documentary’s website.
James Lipton, the creator and host of Inside the Actors Studio, wrote a book called An Exaltation of Larks, which is described as a “classic collection of collective nouns” that includes more than 1,100 “resurrected or newly minted contributions.” In addition to murder of crows, it includes poetic terms such as an ostentation of peacocks, a smack of jellyfish, a parliament of owls and a skulk of foxes.
Kevin J. McGowan of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology wrote on his website that no scientist would call it a murder of crows. “Scientists would call it a flock,” he wrote.
Thanks for chasing the squirrel, Terry. I learned something today. Thanks again!
I live in a large metropolitan area. I see them all the time. Most are short and go a short distance. But some, a police officer or a soldier killed in action, might be in a procession of 50 cars and driving 25 miles.
The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton has an end note about “when are you dead?” Some practices are based on the fear of being buried alive. Judaism, Islam, and the US Military do not leave a body unattended until burial. That is probably a tradition elsewhere as well.
The Things That Carried Him by Chris Jones – Esquire Magazine has a moving story of how the military cares for fallen service people. Alas, the archives are behind their paywall.
Do you know where the term “bell ringer” came from, Alan?
From my childhood:
Never stop when a hearse goes by
Or you will be the next to die
They wrap you in a bloody sheet
And throw you in about six feet deep.
The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out,
The worms play pinochle on your snout.
Your body turns a slimy green,
And your guts come out like green whipped cream.
Excellent, John! I can so see Stephen King reciting it.
Fascinating post, Garry. I always appreciate your deep dives into a topic. This is a really great list of superstitions around death and funerals. Myself, I don’t hold any of them, but I appreciate that others still can. I had thought carrying a corpse feet first was probably because it was easier to navigate a turn that way. Nice to have it confirmed. And I agree about not leaving a hearse’s rear door unlatched. Important safety tip 🙂
Keep on having great days!
Safety first, Dale. Safety first!
Two more I found after reading your most excellent post, Garry.
Mourners covering their faces to protect their identities so they would be protected from those who had died.
Pallbearers wearing gloves so that the spirit of the deceased person couldn’t enter their bodies.
My favorite is #1. When I was tweenager, there was a cemetery nearby that was haunted. At least that’s the rumor. I think what was really happening was keggers in the summertime. Of course, I wasn’t involved . . . 🙂 . . . but that was the rumor.
And, BTW, I recall all of the cemeteries here in my town, and dang, if they aren’t all laid out exactly the way #11 describes. As Spock would say, Fascinating!
I wonder what dastardly consequences there’s be if someone bucked that rule? A good “what if” question, hmm?
Good stuff, Deb. When I stumbled upon the east-west cemetery layout, I had to verify it so I looked at cemeteries around my city and random others on Google Earth – Yep, they’re all on an east-west grid.
Dear Writers,
Many of today’s customs are ethnic/religious based. Please take a moment to check how your characters backstory would lead their actions on the page. Traditionally Jewish funerals are as soon as possible after death. But there are certain holy days that forbid funerals. You’re Jewish partner isn’t going to wait a week for Aunt Betty’s funeral.
Re; Funeral Processions.
Just two months ago, I was in a fairly sizable funeral procession from the south side of Charlotte—not the biggest of cities but hardly the little sleepy town I grew up in—to the northeast. I was astounded at (1) the fact that almost everyone stopped for the procession and (2) the amazing skill of the Mecklenburg County Deputies who shepherded us through some quite dense traffic with amazing skill. They raced along side of us so that the lead car would block an intersection, the one behind him would race up beside us and take his place so he could race forward. And the one behind that would take the second’s place. And so on. It was quite an elaborate ballet to watch them handle it.
And, yes, I felt for all the people stuck in traffic on a Friday afternoon as we inched our way through the city.
P.S. – I also thought of a cemetery in the town I grew up in that was the shortcut from our neighborhood to a convenience store we liked to go to. Lots of ghost stories told on those walks trying to freak each other out.
Great story, DKW. Just curious – were the deputies on motorcycles as well as in cars? I’ve seen bike cops do an amazing job of controlling traffic in parades.
Surprisingly, all in cars. Would’ve seemed like motorcycles would have worked better, but they sure knew what they were doing.