The color purple has long been associated with royalty, nobility, luxury, and ambition. However, in some cultures, the color is also connected to death and mourning. In this article, we’ll explore the history behind the color purple and examine its cultural associations with death and bereavement.
The History and Symbolism of the Color Purple
Purple is a rare color in nature, only found in a handful of flowers and butterfly species. In ancient times, extracting the Tyrian purple dye from seashells was labor-intensive and expensive, so the vibrant color became associated with wealth and high social status. Purple fabrics were strictly reserved for rulers and nobles in many ancient cultures, including Rome, Egypt, and China.
In Christianity, purple symbolizes penitence and mourning. During Advent and Lent, purple vestments and altar cloths are used to signify repentance. In Catholic tradition, purple can also represent sorrow and mourning. Cardinals wear purple vestments and bishops wear purple skullcaps called zucchettos.
In Western culture today, the color purple is generally associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic. However, there are still some connections to its ancient symbolic meanings related to wealth, nobility, and spiritual introspection.
Purple in Funerary Customs
The use of the color purple in funeral traditions dates back thousands of years. In ancient Rome, the bodies of royalty were traditionally cremated in purple shrouds. Purple flowers were used to adorn burial sites. Mourners also wore dark purple during periods of bereavement.
In Victorian times, widows wore black while mourning the death of a husband. But purple armbands and ribbons were occasionally worn as well, especially if the deceased was an important public figure. Purple wreaths or crepe streamers were also draped at funerals.
In modern times, the Catholic Church uses purple vestments and altar cloths for funeral masses. Cremation urns and caskets are available in various shades of purple. Mourners frequently send purple floral arrangements to funerals or choose purple ribbons for memorial symbols.
Purple Flowers for Funerals
Many purple blooms specifically symbolize grief, remembrance, and everlasting love between the living and those who have passed away. Here are some of the most common types of purple funeral flowers:
- Purple roses signify eternal adoration and enduring love beyond death.
- Purple carnations indicate capriciousness, impulsiveness, and whimsy – encouraging fond memories.
- Purple irises mean wisdom and compliments, believing in the soul’s immortality.
- Purple hyacinths represent sorrow, regret, forgiveness.
- Purple statice flowers mean remembrance.
- Purple chrysanthemums signify lamentation and grief.
- Purple gladiolus flowers mean strength of character, faithfulness, and sincerity.
Purple in Mourning Dress
In traditional Hindu funeral customs, mourners wear white as a sign of purity and mourning. However, purple is also an important mourning color in parts of India. Widows wear dark purple saris after the death of their husbands.
In Brazil, widows wear the color purple during their mourning period following the death of their spouse. The mourning periods can last up to 2 years.
In Thailand, mourning family members traditionally wear black after the death of a loved one. But using elements of purple is also common, especially for elders and community leaders. It’s a color associated with wisdom, dignity, and loss.
Purple Ribbons
Purple ribbons are used to remember and honor a variety of different causes. Here are some ways purple ribbons symbolize remembrance, hope, and loss:
- Purple ribbons represent pancreatic, testicular, thyroid, lymphoma, lupus, cystic fibrosis, and Alzheimer’s disease awareness.
- Light purple ribbons bring awareness to issues like domestic violence, Down syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, leukemia, and more.
- Purple ribbons with a yellow stripe are used to support suicide prevention and mental health.
- Double purple ribbons show support for leukemia and lymphoma.
- Purple-striped ribbons represent animal abuse prevention.
Because purple is a color associated with wisdom and bravery, it brings dignity to these causes and inspires hope. The ribbons evoke solemnity and remembrance for those affected by these health conditions and issues.
Purple in Literature and Media
The color purple has profound connections to death and mourning across many works of fiction as well:
- In Alice Walker’s novel The Color Purple, purple is associated with suffering and resilience.
- Purple prose is used in Gothic fiction to describe death, decay, or supernatural events.
- Purple colors the sky before and after Prince’s death in some of his music videos, including “When Doves Cry.”
- Willy Wonka wears a purple coat, symbolic of his creative eccentricity and eventual death in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
- In the Harry Potter universe, purple is the color of magic to heal, soothe, and restore – contrasting with evil green magic.
Across literature, media, and pop culture, shades of purple often arise around situations involving death, loss, and mourning – but also magic, creativity, and wonder.
Conclusion
While purple has uplifting associations with imagination and nobility, the color has a solemn, serious side connected to death and bereavement. Tracing back to ancient times, purple dyes and adornments signified wealth and high status but were also used for funeral rites and mourning periods. In modern times, purple flowers, wreaths, and crepe streamers decorate funeral proceedings while mourners wear various purple garments and ribbons.
The color purple speaks to the complexity of death – both the gravitas of losing loved ones but also the beautiful mysteries and meanings we may find in our grief. In many cultures and traditions, purple inspires remembrance, respect, resilience, and even hope in the midst of loss.