We are all familiar with the practice of memorializing the death of a loved one with flowers. It seems natural and almost instinctive to do so. Flowers are a part of the funerary practices of almost every culture in every country of the world.
When famed rock and roll star Elvis Presley died in 1977 the lawns of Graceland Mansion were covered with floral tributes. Each year on the anniversary of his death hundreds of floral bouquets are piled on his Gravesite by fans. When Princess Diana of England died in 1997 tens of thousands of floral bouquets were laid outside of Kensington Palace.
But, did you know that the practice of memorial flowers has been proven to be at least 40,000 years old. In 1960 archeologists excavating prehistoric graves in Iraq discovered patterns of pollen in graves indicating the placement of floral garlands.
