They all converge at the center in a grand marsh. According to Greek Mythology, there are five rivers of the underworld. Hermes would escort souls to Charon, who waits along the banks of the Styx. Depending on the ruling, they’ll move onto Elysium, the equivalent of the Christian heaven, or Tartarus, the abyss of suffering that compares to Hell.īefore any of that can happen, souls must encounter Charon. Those who die must wander the underworld and seek judgment from Hades.
His significance in the afterlife is critical in Greek Mythology. He had a tusked mouth, serpent-draped arms, and held onto a mallet.Ĭharon’s sole purpose is to transport lost souls to Hades. In Italy, he was known as Charun, and artwork depicted him as a grey-skinned beast. Some artists show him as a demon with wings, fiery eyes, and a monstrous face. In later works of art, Charon takes an even scarier appearance. There, he stands holding a pole for guidance through the troubling waters of the Styx and Archeon. The Roman poet, Virgil, described Charon as riding a rust-colored skiff in the Aeneid. In most depictions, you’ll see Charon alongside his boat. He usually wears a conical hat and tunic. Some of the earliest displays show him as a sullen and grisly older man with a beard. In many works of art, he’s purposely made to look ugly. Generally, he’s shown as a foreboding figure. He’s one of the oldest beings in Greek Mythology and predates more recognizable figures like Zeus and Hades.Ĭharon is a central figure in the art of Ancient Greece. The future ferryman was just one of many siblings. Charon’s parents were one of the first beings in existence, born out of Chaos to start the world anew. His father, Erebus, was the representation of darkness. Nyx was a shadowy figure who acted as the goddess of the night. Instead, they personified abstract concepts and symbolized fundamental forces.Ĭharon was the child of Nyx and Erebus. As a result, the primordial beings weren’t worshipped or given human-like characteristics. They represented fundamental forces and physical foundations of the world. The primordial deities were the first generation of gods and goddesses. This diety is the child of two primordial deities. His duty was to guide lost souls over the rivers Rivers Styx and Archeon in his skiff, allowing them to continue to Hades for judgment. Many myths tell of heroes such as Odysseus, Dionysus, and Theseus journeying to the underworld and returning to the world of the living in Charon’s ferry. This coin was placed in the mouth of the deceased prior to burial. His fee for carrying the dead across the rivers to the underworld was a single coin, usually an obolus or danake. Those who passed away would have to cross the rivers Styx and Acheron to reach the underworld, and Charon would take them on this journey. Instead, he’s an underworld deity under the services of king Hades. Contrary to popular belief, Charon is not considered to be a god. An enigmatic character, Charon is present in many stories involving Greek gods. One of the most recognizable figures in Greek mythology is Charon, or (Kharon).