Faren funerary traditions
Before the death
The most Farens can rest assured to know, that at least in the case of a peaceful death, their body and soul will be well cared for by their family, and their separation will be only brief. The most people would prefer to die at home, surrounded by the family and ancestor spirits. A family medic, or a funerary priest could be summoned as well.Preparing the body
After death the body is washed by the close relatives, and wrapped in a burial shroud. Traditionally it is a simple blue cloth, which is often seen in the depictions of the death in art, but is often undyed for poorer people, and could be elaborately embroided for wealthy people. Bodies are also usually buried wearing their belt, as these are highly personal pieces of clothing and not fit for reuse. It is believed to be important to keep companion to the body, to ward of the evil spirits before the cremation can be performed. This can be performed by the family members, or preferably a funeral priest.Cremation
The bodies are cremated on outdoor pyres, observed by the grieving relatives. The cremation takes almost half a day. In the meanwhile, sacrifices are made to the gods, and wild spirits are scared away with ritual chanting. The funeral is performed as soon as possible, to free the soul of the body. Naturally the táldar, or the sould of the deceased person would rise within some days or weeks of the dead, but a proper cremation causes the soul to separate immediately. It is believed, that a soon cremation keeps the soul more pure of evil spirits, as well as lessens the time that the soul must suffer in the decaying body. However, cremations are avoided during unlucky times, such as the Red Nights, for the fear of the wild spirits being more active then. Therefore, if a person dies, the body is usually kept hidden in the home until the Red Nights pass, and the body can be safely cremated.The bones left after the cremation are collected and placed in an urn. Then the relatives carry the urn to their home. Then a funerary meal is offered, shared between the living relatives and the ancestors of the family. This meal is done to welcome the new spirit among the spirits of the family ancestors, and reintroduce the spirits to one another.
If animal sacrifices were made during the funeral, the meat becomes part of this meal. (What else do they eat?)
Funerary monuments and the placement of the remains
The urn is usually placed in the house of the ancestors, the táldaranim feles, which is a small shrine, usually located in the courtyard of the house. The urn can be either placed on the altar, or buried under it. If the family does not have their private altar, the urn can be placed within the home, buried under it, or in a worst case buried in a common graveyard outside the town.The soul of the body usually stays in the vicinity of its earthly remains, which is why keeping the ashes in a safe place is so important. Souls that are left alone and exposed are often preyed upon by the Wild Spirits, and feel lonely and neglected.
Remembering the dead
The Farens' relationship with their relatives continue even after the dead. The táldar are part of the everyday life: relatives share meals with them, include them in conversations, and seek their guidance. Frequent remembering helps the táldar to keep the memory of their life longer, and to resist fading.
by Unknown, 4th century (wikimedia)
Ancestors watching over a sleeping man
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