Coins as food for the journey to the Hereafter.

Archaeologists have found coins in numerous graves. These coins not only help them to date the burials. They are also an important indication of the social position of the deceased and they show from what faraway places some coins originate. Apart from the large and small treasures found in this way, these individual finds are also an important historical source.

Coins were laid around the necks of the deceased with chains or ribbons, and sometimes they were placed under the person's head or in their hand. Coins also occurred as parts of rings, and archaeologists have found metal money which was left with the deceased in bags. A single coin or a small number of coins served as a symbol of the wealth that the deceased person had in their lifetime.

There were many different motives for laying money into graves. Apparently, people did not want the deceased to suffer deprivation in the Hereafter, therefore they were given earthly goods, and apart from coins there were also weapons, garments, ornaments, food and many other things that were left in people's graves. Coins were regarded as "money for the fare" which the dead person needed to pay the boatman on the journey to the other world.

According to the ancient saga, a malicious old man called Charon ferried the dead across the Acheron with his boat. For this service, he was paid a fee which was placed in the mouth of the dead person. In the Christian era. Peter was the one who opened up the gates of heaven for payment of a penny.

After classical antiquity and in the early Middle Ages there were often no real coins available, so people used imitations of sheet metal. They can sometimes be found in graves of the ancient Germanic tribes who did not strike their own coins, but used the money of the Romans instead.

In the Middle Ages and well into the modern age, money was placed into the coffin to pay for travelling comforts, provisions and travel, bridge or path expenses, as is confirmed by many finds. In popular myth it was hoped that this gift would prevent the deceased from returning according to the slogan "If I give you a penny for the road, then leave me the penny for my food." By placing coins in the grave, the heir probably also wanted to free himself of any debts to the deceased and to ensure the good will of the dead person.

As this custom was of non-Christian origin, the church tried to forbid it. But the number of graves with coins shows that this was only partly successful.