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Death Customs of Appalachia
By Karen Smith Carr

Death customs in rural Appalachia are steeped in tradition and superstition. Many of these rituals passed through their Scotch-Irish ancestors and have been practiced for centuries. A few of these customs still remain throughout the South. Can't you recall taking a dish to a grieving neighbor? Tradition... my friend!

Preservation of the body was once a common problem. Embalming did not come into practice until after the Civil War. Until very recently, many areas of the rural mountains did not even have access to a funeral parlor or undertaker. Rigor mortis becomes a problem that must be dealt with. As soon as a person passed on, they were washed and dressed in their Sunday finest. Time was of the essence, because the body would soon stiffen and become immobile. An old Scottish custom, called "saining" was sometimes used to prevent rigor mortis. The oldest female family member waved a burning candle over the body three times. Then she would scoop three handfuls of salt from a sack, place it in wooden bowl and sit it on the chest of the deceased. Often times the body was rubbed down with warm water to loosen things up a bit.

A bell was tolled when a death happened. The number of times it rang was determined by a person's age. Since most communities were so small, one could usually tell who passed on. There was usually one person in the area skilled in coffin making. This carpenter kept dried poplar, pine or chestnut boards just for this purpose. His work would begin on a suitable coffin. The neighbors would rush to attend the grieving family, bringing food and comfort. The family was never left alone until sometime after the burial. Neighbors and family took turns sitting with the body. The body was not left alone until buried. Common belief held that the spirit stayed with the body for twenty four hours after death. Sitting up with the dead kept the soul company and prevented the Devil from whisking the soul away.

All the clocks were stopped at the time of death. If a clock stopped on its own, another death would occur soon. The body was always placed for viewing on the first floor of the home, never the second. If a stair squeaked while the body was still in the house, another death would occur within a year. Covers were placed on the mirrors so the soul couldn't see itself. The grave was dug by close friends and family. Graves always faced the east, towards the rising sun. This was a sign of resurrection. Coins were placed over the eyes of deceased. These coins were always silver and served a dual purpose. They made sure the person had their eyes closed when they entered Heaven and kept the eyelids down so mourners were not disturbed. Many superstitions were held and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! These mountain residents took burying their dead seriously and did not want to pay the consequences if not done properly. They didn't want the loved one coming back as a ghost or "haint"!

Thanks to modern day mortuaries and funeral parlors, many of these rituals are no longer practiced. Yet there are still places, back in the Appalachian mountains, where you will see a hand-made coffin being lowered into the earth. For these folks, tradition is tradition!

Information provided by and thanks to: Charles Edwin Price, Deane Spickard-Smith, and the Ealy family of Cocke County, Tennessee.

 

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