Celery is a type of flower that has been used in funeral ceremonies in Eastern and Western Europe for thousands of years. This is a fact that not everyone is aware of about this familiar vegetable that is instantly recognizable by its name.
Today, mentioning celery brings to mind a nutritious drink beneficial for the skin and health of women. Although it is not an expensive or rare vegetable, the incredible benefits of celery are undeniable. Yet, few people know that this nutritious and harmless plant has a history steeped in sorrow.
Today, celery is a familiar nutritious vegetable.
Celery itself does not cause death or disaster for people, but it is closely associated with the theme of parting. Specifically, in ancient times, people used celery flowers to create funeral wreaths.
Where There is a Funeral, There is Celery
For thousands of years, people have used flowers in funeral ceremonies to show respect for the deceased. They would weave the flowers into wreaths, known as funeral wreaths.
The ancient Greeks used wreaths to honor both victories and the deceased. Today, their Olympic wreath made from olive flowers is still well-known. However, few realize that in ancient Greece, the most effective way to express love for the departed was with a celery wreath.
Back then, celery, which originates from the Mediterranean and the Middle East, had thin, soft stalks and a bitter taste. It was only later that farmers began to cultivate celery, resulting in hardier stalks with a sweeter flavor.
Its pungent smell and dark color led the ancient Greeks to associate celery with a concept known as “chthonic” (relating to the underworld) in Greek. For this reason, celery became an essential part of ancient burial rituals.
Celery flowers were used by the ancients in funerals to show respect for the deceased.
In ancient Greece, before being buried, the deceased would have bundles of celery placed around the coffin and gravesite as a sign of respect. Celery flowers adorned tombs, and the deceased were often crowned with wreaths made from this plant.
Why Celery?
Famous writer and Greek literature expert Robert Garland suggests that this was a way to demonstrate dignity and honor for the deceased during the burial process.
Historians have proposed various theories regarding why the deceased were crowned with wreaths. One of the most widely accepted explanations is that they bravely faced life and deserved to be buried as heroes.
However, Garland dismisses this to support another theory: that the deceased were awarded the heroic crown “to show respect and add dignity and honor to the departed.” Other writers, such as the Roman Pliny the Elder, believed that celery should never be used in everyday meals as it was primarily associated with funerals.
The concept of the connection between celery and death is even present in the language. The phrase “deisthai selinon,” or “to need celery,” does not mean someone needs to eat more vegetables; it signifies that someone is close to death.
Statue of Hades (God of Death) and his wife Persephone, who is believed to be holding a celery flower branch.
Corinne Ondine Pach, a classicist, writes: “The connection between celery and the dead is a recurring theme in Greek thought. At the Nemean and Isthmian games, both associated with death, winners were awarded celery wreaths.”
Later, celery gained another meaning. Besides death, celery flowers also symbolize victory.
An encyclopedia of plants describes this plant as “a dual symbol of death and victory.” In ancient major athletic competitions, winners were awarded a celery wreath, symbolizing their glory.
Image of a celery wreath awarded to champions in the Isthmian games (the victory wreath).
Moreover, due to some translation errors in historical records, both celery and parsley (which belong to the same Apiaceae family) were understood by Europeans to have the effect of warding off evil spirits.
