Why Do We Wear Black to Funerals? | A Tradition Older Than You Think

It feels so natural today that most of us never stop to question it. Black has become the universal symbol of grief in much of the world—but it wasn't always that way. For thousands of years, different civilizations mourned in different colors. Some wore white. Others wore purple. Many had no single mourning color at all. So how did black become the color of death? In this episode of Woven History, we uncover the forgotten history behind one of humanity's most recognizable traditions. From Ancient Rome and Medieval Europe to Queen Victoria and the Industrial Revolution, discover how royalty, fashion, religion, and ordinary people slowly transformed black into the color of mourning. The most surprising part? The dead never chose black. If you enjoy uncovering the hidden history behind the ordinary things we use, wear, and experience every day, subscribe to Woven History for new documentaries every week.