In some religions, people worship the spirits of those who have lived in the past, their ancestors. These ancestors may have been members of a family, of a tribe, or of a nation.
This is called ancestor worship. It may be the worship of people as individuals, or of the whole group of those who have lived in the past.
There are usually three reasons why people worship their ancestors. The first reason is to honour them. The second is that they are afraid the ghosts of their ancestors may visit them. The third is the belief that those who have died can do something for the living members of the family or tribe. Some form of ancestor worship is often found among primitive tribes, but even civilised people have practised ancestor worship. The ancient Romans regarded their ancestors as protecting spirits. Each Roman household worshipped its ancestors daily.
Once a year, the Romans placed food, flowers, grain and salt on the graves of their ancestors. The Romans did this to provide for the spirits and to make sure the spirits watched over the household. Ancestor worship is still practised today throughout Asia and Africa, particularly by the Chinese people.
