are said to be the hottest months. [368]
It would appear that these rules are a reminiscence of the time when
the body was simply exposed. It was then naturally always laid on
earth or rock, and never on wood, hence the prohibition of a wooden
floor. The fact that the spot where the body is now laid in the house
is held impure for a shorter period during the summer months may be
explained on the ground that all traces of the decaying corpse, after
it had been devoured by wild animals and vultures, would have been
dried up by the sun more quickly at this time than during the winter
months. In the latter period, as the process would take longer, the
place in the home is similarly held impure for a month, as against
ten days in summer, though at present neither the sun nor weather
can possibly affect a site inside the house. The fact that when the
floor is of earth the site for the corpse is broken up may indicate
that it was formerly laid on rough waste ground, and not on a floor
beaten smooth, though it might also be simply a means of avoiding
contamination of the floor. But if this was the object it would be
simpler to avoid letting the body come into contact with the floor at
all. The corpse may still be wrapped in an old cloth because it was
originally exposed in the cloth worn at death. The body is carried
to the tower on an iron bier by special bearers; if the journey is a
long one a bullock cart may be used, but in this case the cart must
be broken up and the pieces buried near the tower. Before the funeral
starts a number of priests attend at the house and recite the prayers
for the dead. During the service a dog is brought in to look on the
face of the dead. The mourners follow in the usual manner, and on
arrival at the tower the bearers alone take the corpse inside and lay
it naked on one of the slabs, which are built in circular terraces in
the interior. The mourners must be purified at the tower by pouring
a little cow's urine into their hands, and on returning home they
wash their face and hands, and recite a prayer before entering the
house. They must bathe and have their clothes washed before these
are again used. When a married man dies his widow breaks her glass
bangles and wears only metal bracelets, and so long as she remains
a widow she takes no part in any festal celebrations. Every morning
for three days after a death rice is cooked and laid in the veranda
for dogs to eat. No other food is cooked in