ABSTRACT
The mythology of death captured numerous crucial symbolic elements, whoseroots go down to ancient times. A contemplation symbol specific to the ritual of passage to the netherworld is the tree of alms or the tree of life. By its presence and spiritual load, this substitute of the dead has a regenerative purpose, symbolizing also the continuation of the deceased’s life on the mythical plan. This vegetal symbol interferes in the funeral traditions with the goal to reestablish the equilibrium lost by death. As an act of symbolic communication, the tree, in particular, implies the simplification of the transfer and the benefic integration of the dead in the netherworld. Therefore, the presence of the tree as a feature of the funeral ceremony can be integrated, on the basis of structural parameters, in the afterlife requisite, while according to the magic spiritual components (established by Arnold Van Gennep), the tree is placed in the integration rituals. Throughout time, the tree, an important object of the funeral requisite, gradually loses space and its symbolic value, being replaced by the tree of alms.