Funerary Ramblings: bier

One of the trademarks of the funeral is the Hearse or the "Funeral Coach". First, a little etymology. Funeral comes from the Latin Funeralis which actually means torchlight procession. This seems to be a topic of disagreement among some linguists who claim that funeralis simply means having to do with a funeral <- I could have made that one up. It's not just for safety that cars drive with their headlamps on during a procession, it is also symbolic of torches that were carried when processions were on foot. A little more etymology, Hearse comes from the Old French Herce, which is a rake or a harrow. Makes sense, right? OK, maybe a little more explanation. Cemeteries that were extramural required a lot of walking for the mourners - and especially the bearers. So wagons or carriages began replacing walking, and the bearers were relieved by a flat wagon that would bear the weight of the casket, it was called a bier. Biers are still used today to place caskets for viewing, but many are seen on the more-portable church truck. Remember the torchlight? Candles or torches were placed on a spiked form that lay upon the bier or even over the deceased at a viewing for soft lighting. This apparatus resembled (or in some cases may have actually been) a rake or harrow aka a herce. Over time the vehicle carrying the casket inherited the name. I do not know why many people put a T on the end and pronounce it Hurst!
Interesting Note: Since you now know that a hearse is a rake or harrow, doesn't the word rehearse make more sense? You rake over and over something when you re-hearse.

FAQ: What is the design on the back of the Hearse?
The S-shaped bars are known as Landau bars and are seen on vehicles from the late era of carriages and even early era of automobiles. They were originally attached to a soft top that could be folded back during nice weather. They represented fine-quality carriages and cars and were kept as part of the prestigious design.