Ralph Solecki theorizes that the Neanderthals intentionally buried their dead, as evidenced by having flowers at the burial location in the Shanidar Cave in Kurdistan.

It was at the ‘Shanidar IV’ site, the famous ‘flower burial’, so-called because clumps of pollen grains from adjacent sediments were interpreted as evidence for the intentional placement of flowers with the corpse.

“Analysis of soil samples from the Shanidar IV burial in the Shanidar cave, revealed the same pollens throughout the sequence, with variations in frequency. However, samples 313 and 314 contained, in addition, several pollen clusters of as many as 100 pollen grains, evidence that complete flowers were introduced into the burial cave.” (Science Magazine)

Solecki “has argued that ‘Neither birds, nor animals could have carried flowers in such a manner in the first place, and the second, they could not have deposited them with a burial’.” (This theory is questioned by some – Sommer believes the flowers were brought by rodents.)

“Leroi-Gourhan interprets the pollen evidence as indicating that between May and July, in a year more than 50,000 years ago, the body of Shanidar IV was laid on a bed of woody branches {Ephedra) and flowers. (Sommer, Cambridge Archaeological Journal)

In modern times, flowers originally served a very practical purpose in funerals. They were used for odor control as the body decomposed.

Back before embalming became an integral part of the funeral process and before refrigerated storage was common in funeral homes, bodies decomposed naturally very quickly. Funeral home directors used flowers draped around the casket – which is still traditional today – to mask the smell, which could be quite noxious.

Reportedly, one of the most famous examples of this was the funeral of President Andrew Jackson in 1874. He was not embalmed; so by the day of his funeral, his corpse was in terrible shape. Funeral Director Lazarus C Shepard closed his casket and piled fragrant flowers around and on top of it to mask the odor long enough for the funeral to be completed.

As embalming and other preservation techniques improved, the need for flowers to serve a practical purpose in the funeral process disappeared. However, flowers were seen as an visible expression of sympathy, care, respect and love for the deceased and the deceased’s family. (JacobsFuneralHomes)

One such ‘Funeral Flower’ was the carnation.  The original birthplace of the carnation is on the coast of the Mediterranean. The popularity of the flower goes back many centuries; the Romans were already making wreathes and fresh eau de toilette out of carnations. (Flower Council)

Later, Americans began to like the carnation … “So when (a florist) finds it necessary to his business to introduce a new ‘fashionable flower’ he takes care that it shall be very expensive and that his customers shall believe it to be very rare.”

“Such a flower is the carnation. It first leaped into prominence as a ‘florists’ flower’ nearly thirty years ago and its vogue at the time was greater even than that of the chrysanthemum in its best days.”

“One day everybody was wearing a rosebud, ten or Bon Selene, (the carnation craze succeeded the ‘Boston bud’ craze); the next day everybody was wearing a carnation.”

“And with a great many people it has remained in favor ever since. This is not only because of its beauty of form and color and its spicy fragrance. The carnation seems to have been especially designed by nature for a boutonniere.”

“It sets closely and neatly to the coat lapel, it keeps fresh and unfaded for a long time, it requires no pinning in place, and it never breaks from its stem”. (Democrat and Chronicle, New York, December 4, 1894)

The carnation can be regularly seen in religious paintings, as a symbol of the Virgin Mary and as a symbol for the suffering of Christ. The Latin name for the carnation is Dianthus, derived from Dios (God) and anthos (flower) – divine flower. (Flower Council)

According to legend, the carnation flower appeared after the Crucifixion of Christ. When mother Mary wept at the death of her son, her tears fell to the earth. Carnations sprang forth from each spot where Mary’s tears stained the earth. This legend lends credence to the theory that the carnation earned its name from incarnation.  (FlowerMeaning)

On the continent, the start of the 1900s was also an era of huge funeral flower displays. These were designs such as wreaths, pillows, crosses, lyres, Holy Bibles, armchairs, broken columns, broken wheels, gates … The influenza epidemic during World War I stimulated the demand for flowers, and greenhouse construction increased after the conflict.

American Protestant missionary wives are credited with bringing the first carnations to the Islands in the mid-1800s.  The first variety was a white, scented flower and it soon became the favorite for lei makers. Red carnations were introduced later.  (Bird)  In 1900, gardens in Pauoa supplied lei sellers at the piers with carnations and other lei flowers.

The carnation, one of the most important commercial field-grown floricultural crops in the Islands, has been under cultivation for many about a century. It initially was grown primarily for the lei trade; however, later, interest in cut-flower production increased considerably due to the introduction of Mainland commercial varieties.

The main production areas for lei carnations shifted from Waialae to Maunalani Heights.  These regions are suitable for lei flower production, but not for cut-flower production due to the relatively warm night temperatures. The cut-flower varieties are known to require cool night temperatures for optimum growth and production.

Carnations “used to cover portions of Maunalani Heights”. (Star Bulletin)  There is even a Carnation Place up the hill, there.

The ‘Pink’ is one of these varieties; it has been under continuous cultivation since around 1900. It produces throughout the year relatively small but highly fragrant flowers on short stems.

The major emphasis in the past has been on the production of carnations for lei flowers, and qualities demanded of cut flowers were generally ignored. Consequently, the types grown had small flowers, short stems, and bushy growths.  (CTAHR)

Carnations were also cultivated in the Koko Crater area on O‘ahu especially to meet the demands of the fast growing tourist industry. 

Japanese and Korean farmers leased small parcels of land along Lunalilo Home Road and soon their ‘carnation plantations’ were familiar sights, likewise in Kaimuki and Palolo.

The white carnation lei is usually given to women and the red to the men: white being femininely pure and withdrawn – red representing masculine boldness, strength and power. (Ka Lei, Marie McDonald)  Depending on the style and flower size, 50 to 100 flowers may be used.

Back in the 1950s-1970s, the fat, fragrant carnation lei was popular.  Friends bestowed thick carnation lei at the airport gate, politicians regularly wore them and nightclub entertainers typically had a carnation lei.

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