Why Do We Put Flowers on Graves?

A bunch of flowers on a grave is one of the most familiar sights in any cemetery. How did the custom start? This article gives what historians and other sources say, including the parts that are uncertain.

What was the Shanidar find?

A famous but debated example. In 1960, the archaeologist Ralph Solecki dug up Neanderthal remains in Shanidar Cave in northern Iraq. The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles says pollen samples from the graves were analyzed by a paleobotanist, who found pollen and flower fragments from at least eight species of wildflowers. This was long taken as evidence of flowers at burial more than 60,000 years ago. A student paper in The Shield notes that later studies cast doubt on the “flower burial” idea, and that no one knows why the flowers were there.

What did ancient cultures do?

Several used plants for the dead. The Metropolitan Memorial Parks guide says that early Egyptians put a lotus bloom in the hands of the dead to symbolize the new life their souls had entered, and that the ancient Romans saw roses similarly and planted rose bushes on significant graves. The Greeks wove funeral wreaths, which stood for the continuing cycle of life and death, often from willow or cypress branches. The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles says the wreath was first documented in ancient Greece, and that in early medieval Europe evergreen wreaths were laid at the burial places of early Christian virgin martyrs.

What was the Victorian language of flowers?

A way to say things without words. Two Row Times says that in the Victorian era, florists developed a “language of flowers,” where colors and stages of a flower carried meanings. Victorian funeral wreaths were usually built on cypress or willow branches, because those trees symbolized mourning.

Do all cultures use the same flowers?

No. Metropolitan Memorial Parks says Chinese tradition favors lilies for purity and chrysanthemums for longevity, and that white chrysanthemums are reserved for funerals. It adds that chrysanthemums are also linked with death in several European countries, including France, Austria, Italy, and Belgium.

Why do people do it now?

To show care. Flowers are a visible sign that someone remembers and visits. For more on products and etiquette, see Memorial Products, Why Do We Send Flowers When Someone Dies?, and, for the lotus in Asian traditions, Why Does the Lotus Symbolize Death and Rebirth?.