Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

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The last gift of love.

Flower giving is not restricted to the living. Final last floral gifts are a long established custom at funerals. In ancient Egypt garlands of flowers would drape the coffin and floral headdresses and collars of flowers would adorn the mummified bodies. In Tutankhamun's tomb a collar of Olea Europaea (Olive,) Nymphaea Coerulea (the blue water lily of the Nile,) and Cornflowers (Centaurea depressa,) were found. This was made on a base of Papyrus with folded Olive leaves. It showed the great skill of ancient Egyptian florists.
Actors made a regular income from being professional mourners and in ancient Greece wore wax masks portraying the ancestors of the deceased. The practice of professional mourners continued in medieval times and long afterwards. The wreath is one of the oldest funeral tributes representing the circle of life. A wreath would contain buds, half opened flowers, mature flowers and seed heads, to represent birth, youth, maturity and death. The earliest wreaths were made from a long garland with a central loop and these can be seen on vases and carved vessels from ancient Greece.

Lining the grave with sweet smelling flowers is an old country tradition and is still practiced today in some parts of the country. In Shakespeare's day sprigs of rosemary, a symbol of remembrance, were often worn in a hatband or attached to a sleeve as a way of identifying those in mourning. Often the shroud was covered with sweet smelling herbs and flowers.

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At the turn of the 19th century the cross, anchor and heart were used together as a floral tribute to represent faith, hope, and charity and the three emblems where joined together with a circle of silk cord or ribbon. Elaborate floral tributes included,
the Gates of Heaven, The Rock of Ages, a Harp with broken strings, a vacant chair, and an open book all signified faith and poignant remembrance, and these are still used today.

All Hallows or All Saints Day is a day when many faiths pay homage to their ancestors and visit the graves of the dead to take gifts of flowers and light candles for the deceased. It's the day before Halloween when ghosts are supposed to roam around and in pagan times appeasing them with flowers and gifts warded off evil spirits. (Or so they thought.)

Shakespeare knew the meaning of flowers and used it to express emotions.

Hamlet Act IV Scene V
Ophelia

There's rosemary, that's for remembrance, pray, love, remember
And there is pansies that's for thoughts

Today floral tributes are still important and sent as a last gift of love, friendship or respect. They provide a focus on a sad day and a poignant message of farewell.
Tomorrow. The history of wedding flowers.