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Melted bronze from cremation urn KM 2903. Perhaps the remains of a coin.

The Romans maintained a very systematic approach when tending to the dead. First, relatives would close the deceased's eyes while calling out the dead person's name. The body was then washed and a coin was placed in the mouth. The coin was payment to Charon, who ferried the dead across the rivers of the underworld. This important part of the funeral ritual was considered essential for proper passage to the afterlife.

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