Were ancient sailors buried at sea or taken to the nearest port for burial on land?

Detail from a relief from the palace of Sargon II (722–705 BCE) at Dur Sharrukin, showing the transport of Lebanese cedars in boats with horse-headed prows. Photo: Public Domain.

I recently read the following article about the religious practices and mortuary rituals of ancient Levantine sailors: https://www.asor.org/anetoday/2023/09/maritime-viewscapes 

In it, the author, Aaron Brody, Director of the Bade Museum of Biblical Archaeology and Professor at the Pacific School of Religion, says:

"Many perished at sea. The only detailed mourning rites of Phoenician mariners are found in Ezekiel 27, which indicates that mortuary rituals were not performed aboard ship, which may represent a taboo common among traditional seafarers."

He also described probable tombs of seafarers that contained votive offerings of a seafaring nature such as stone anchors, model ships, and graffiti of ships on their walls indicating the individuals may have died at sea and were returned to land for burial.

This intrigued me so I asked Bard about the burial practices of ancient seafaring cultures.

Mary: If a death occurred on board an ancient ship was the deceased buried at sea or did the captain change course to the nearest port to allow the deceased to be buried on land?

Bard:

"Whether a deceased person was buried at sea or brought to land for burial on an ancient ship depended on a number of factors, including the ship's destination, the religion of the deceased, and the captain's discretion.

"Burial at sea was the most common practice, especially for long voyages where it was impractical to bring the body to land. It was also the preferred practice for many seafaring cultures, who believed that the sea was a sacred place for the dead.

"Burial on land was more common for short voyages or when the ship was already close to port. It was also the preferred practice for some religions, such as Christianity and Judaism.

"In some cases, the captain might change course to the nearest port if the deceased was a high-ranking person or if the family requested it. However, this was not always possible, especially in bad weather or if the ship was far from land.

"Here are some specific examples of burial practices on ancient ships:

"Vikings: The Vikings often practiced ship burials, in which the deceased was placed in a ship with their grave goods and then set adrift at sea. This was considered to be a prestigious burial method, and it was reserved for high-ranking members of society.

"Romans: The Romans typically buried their dead on land, even when they were at sea. However, they would sometimes bury their dead at sea if they were sailing in hostile territory or if the ship was carrying a plague.

"Greeks: The Greeks also typically buried their dead on land. However, they would sometimes bury their dead at sea if the deceased was a sailor or if the death occurred during a long voyage.

"In general, it is safe to say that burial at sea was the most common practice for deaths on ancient ships. However, there were a number of factors that could influence the captain's decision, and there were also some cultures that preferred burial on land.

Since the article was discussing ancient Levantine maritime practices I asked more specifically about that region:

Mary: Were ancient Levantine sailors who died subsequently buried at sea?

Bard:

"There is no definitive answer to the question of whether ancient Levantine sailors who died at sea were buried at sea or brought to land for burial. The evidence is inconclusive, and there is likely to have been variation in practice depending on a number of factors, such as the specific Levantine culture, the religion of the deceased, and the circumstances of the death.

"Some experts believe that burial at sea was the most common practice for ancient Levantine sailors, especially for long voyages where it was impractical to bring the body to land. They point to the fact that the sea was considered to be a sacred place for the dead in many Levantine cultures. Additionally, there is archaeological evidence for ship burials from this region, dating back to the Bronze Age.

"Other experts believe that burial on land was more common for ancient Levantine sailors, especially for short voyages or when the ship was already close to port. They point to the fact that many Levantine cultures had a strong tradition of burying their dead on land, even when they were at sea. Additionally, there is archaeological evidence for cemeteries near ancient Levantine ports, which suggests that sailors were often buried on land.

"It is also possible that both burial at sea and burial on land were practiced by ancient Levantine sailors, depending on the specific circumstances. For example, a sailor who died during a long voyage may have been buried at sea, while a sailor who died near a port may have been buried on land.

"Ultimately, the question of whether ancient Levantine sailors were buried at sea or brought to land for burial is a complex one that cannot be definitively answered. The evidence is inconclusive, and there is likely to have been variation in practice depending on a number of factors."