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Question: How far back does the personification of Death date!?
Basically, Where, When and how did the Personification of Death come about!. The main one im curious about is the Grim Reaper or Skeletal w/ Scythe image!. The Earliest I found was 1460!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
There is a skeletal "Death " figure on the Town clock in Prague (1410)
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Prague_Astr!.!.!.
I think most of the typical "Death " imagery starts after the "Black Death " epidemics circa 1340!. Try researching 14th century church murals!.
Some of the representations of "Charon" the ferryman of the dead from Greek Mythology may correspond to the "Grim Reaper " style image these could be much earlier
The origin of skeletal imagary may have something to do with the belief in resurrection on the Day of Judgement!. It was commonly beleived that if your earthly remains became separated, missing bits would not be resurrected with you and you would spend eternity missing that part !. Hence it was not uncommon for skeletal remains to be carefully stored and sometimes arranged in displays in "Ossuaries"
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Ossuary
also Death appears to have been personified by actors in "skeleton suits" in medieval morality playsWww@QuestionHome@Com

I'm sure it started way before 1460!. The ancient Egyptians had Osiris, the king of the afterlife!. And death is represented in the Bible in Revelation by one of the four horsemen, who rides a pale horse!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

This is by far that most difficult question I have ever read before!.!.!.

Just had to tell you!!!Www@QuestionHome@Com