#10: Professional Mourner
Public expressions of grief once formed an important part of funeral traditions across places including ancient Egypt, Greece, Ireland, China, and parts of the Middle East. Families sometimes hired women to sing traditional laments, recite poems, or lead emotional ceremonies that reflected the community’s respect for the person who had passed away. The practice remained common in some regions well into the 20th century. As funeral customs became simpler and more private, paid mourners gradually became far less common.
