Dwarvish burial rites[]
Dwarves buried their dead in stone sarcophagi in elaborate subterranean chambers, they evaded cremation whenever possible and only inndire need erected pyres to burn their dead, the "burned dwarves" who had fallen at the Battle of Azanulbizar were an absolute exception.Also Dwarves usually held a funeral pomp, mostly a procession of the tribe, or at last the specific clan or family, in which dark and deep hymns were sung to commmorate the dead and the ancestors.While royal burials were large and important, even the sarcophagi and tombs of simple miners and craftsmen were works of art and passion and held deeply important by the family and house.
Elvish funeral traditions[]
Although elves did not usually die from natural causes like sickness or age, they knew death and had their own burial rites.
The early elves before or during the great journey seem to have buried those who were killed - by enemy, accident or wild beasts - in deep graves or pits they called Sapsai or dagdai, and the Avari or wild elves probably continued that tradition. A tradition that may have arisen during the great journey was that of erecting large piles of stones or "cairns", possibly at first to shelter their graves from scavenging beasts.
The High-elves however eventually began to raise, first heaps (Q."cumbë"), then artificial hills or burial mounds for their dead, although at least some tribes seem to have continued to bury their dead in flat graves (Q."launer" or "lárar"). Among the Noldor however the mounds or heaps grew larger and started to contain real rooms or tombs (Q."Noirër"), also their cairns became more elaborate and could even evolve into small monuments such as pillars (Q."Tarmar") or pyramids (Q."Ondënastar") upon the original mounds.
The Grey Elves in some places continued the tradition of flat graves (S."Sairch"), with stone-cairns (S."sarnas") built atop, but at least in Doriath also began to erect greater mounds (S."tyrn") which also could contain tombs, although this may have been a late influence or imitation of the Noldor.
All elvish cultures also knew the tradition of mourning (S."Nienor"), lament (Q."Naire" or "Nainië"), memorial feast and song. They all shunned cremation whenever possible and preferred body-burials.The Eldar also knew the custom of lighting funeral-candles, which could be carried in processions or brought to the gravesites by individual elves.
Entish funeral traditions[]
Giantish funeral traditions[]
Halfling funeral traditions[]
Hobbits buried their dead in large wheel-barrows, decorated with flower-beds which were tended by the village-gardeners who also served as gravediggers and coffin-bearers. This old tradition was based on the Hobbits ancestors clan-burials in Rhovanion and during the wandering days.
The Shire Hobbits treated their funerals with ambiguity.On one hand there was mourning and silent memory, on the other hand they still gathered for large family feasts to share funny stories on the deceased, eat, drink especially brewed funeral-ale and toast to the dead and his relatives.The Tooks even had been known to invite Gandalf the grey to honor the death of the Old Took with big memorable fireworks, and Bilbo Baggins family held quite a grudge they had been bereft of a proper and fun funeral party by his traceless disappearance two times.