Some interesting particulars, regarding the funeral ceremonies observed by other ancient nations, have been pre erved by Herodotus.
1mong the f..gy NViic 11 a !Intl' 01 a11) consequence died, the females of the family disfigured their faces w ith dirt, left the corpse in the house, and ran publicly about, accompanied by their female relations, with their gar met,u, in disorder, their breasts exposed, and be themselves severely. The men mi their part did the same ; after which the body was carried to the embalm er:. Certain persons were legally appointed to the ex ercise of this profession, who treated the body in different modes, according to the rank and fortune of the deceased. licroctot. Eutcrp. p. 85, 86. For an account of the differ ent in ythod!; of embalming and preserving dead bodies, see toe artIcle iN1 u mi Y.
By the ancient Ethiopian practice, which is related by H•rodoms according to the traditions of Cambyses' spies, after all the moisture was extracted from the body, by time Egyptian, or some other process, they covered it en tirely with a kind of plaster, which they decorated with various colours, so as to make it convey as near a resem blance as possible of the person of the deceased. They then inclosed it in a hollow pillar of crystal, which was dug up in great abundance, and of a kind that was easily wrought. The body of the deceased was very conspicu ous through the crystal, had no disagreeable smell, nor any thing else that was offensive. This coffin was kept by the nearest relations of the deceased for a twelve mohth in their houses, during which period they offered before it different kinds of victims, and the first fruits of their lands. These were afterwards removed, and set up round the city. Ilerodot. Thal. 24.
The ceremonies observed at the funerals of the Scy thian kings were extremely singular. As soon as the king died, a large quadrangular trench was sunk near the spot where the Borysthenes begins to be navigable. The body was then thoroughly cleansed, and embalmed with various aromatic herbs, and inclosed in wax. After
being transported through the different provinces of the kingdom, tile dead body was at last brought to the Ger rhi, who lived in the remotest parts of Scythia, and amongst whom the sepulchres were. Here the corpse was placed upon a couch, round which daggers were fixed at different distances ; and upon the whole were disposed pieces of wood, covered with branches of wil low. In sonic other part of the trench they buried one of the concubines of the deceased, whom they had pre viously strangled, together with the baker, the cook, the groom, his most confidential servant, his horses, the choicest of his effects, and some golden goblets. The trench was then filled up with earth, and a mound as high as possible raised above the whole. Such was the mode of burial adopted at the interment of their kings ; but among the people, in general, the ceremony was somewhat different. When any one died, the neigh bours placed the body in a carriage, and carried it about to the different acquaintance of the deceased. These prepared some entertainment for the persons who ac companied the corpse, placing before the body the same as before the rest. After being carried about, in this manner, for the space of forty days, the corpse was at length buried. The Scythians, however, do not seem to have all observed the same customs with regard to their funerals ; for it would appear, that there were sonic who suspended the dead body from a tree, and left it there to putrefy. " Of what consequence," says Plutarch, "is it to Theodorus, whether he rots in the earth or upon it ? Sucb among the Scythians, is the most honourable fu neral." This strange (Alston' is also inctettom (1 uy Italicus: At genic in Scythil suflisca cadavers trancis Lenta dies bcpclit, putri linguentia tabu.
A similar practice, Captain Cook observes, prevails among the inhabitants of Otalaitc, who Irate dead bodies to putrefy on the surface of the ground, and then bury the bones. See Ilerodot. Mill4wnene, 71— 73. &kw's Trans!. vul. ii. p. 243-247. 1 lawksworth's Voyages.